New Budapest mall struck by carbon monoxide poisonings

Altogether 14 people had to been taken to hospital with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from a new shopping mall in southern Budapest on Sunday afternoon, a National Ambulance Service spokesman told MTI.

All those complaining about headache, sickness and nausea were hospitalised, but are in fair condition, said Pal Gyorfi, adding that they were expected to be released on Monday.

Firefighters spokesman Peter Molnar confirmed to MTI earlier that many people had suffered CO poisoning in the food-store on level minus 2 in the brand-new Allee shopping complex. They were inhaling exhaust fume that escaped from the underground parking lot on the same level. Fire fighters evacuated the whole level minus 2 and started measuring CO levels in the air. Further evacuations will only be made if CO levels are found to threaten human health, Molnar said.

He said the CO poisoning had most likely been caused by the malfunction of the ventilation system, which was being checked.

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