All 46 people survive carbon monoxide leak at Winnipeg hotel

All 46 people who went to hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a Winnipeg motel on Tuesday have survived and most have been released, according to a city health official.

"We can confirm there have been no fatalities, nor any patients requiring intensive care services," Paul Turenne, a spokesperson for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

"The vast majority of the patients have already been discharged. The remaining patients are being treated and monitored. No patients have been admitted to hospital at this time," he said in a statement Tuesday evening.

People were taken, or took themselves, to four area hospitalsSt. Boniface, Seven Oaks General, Grace Hospital and the emergency departments at Health Sciences Centre after a carbon monoxide leak this morning at the Super 8 Motel West near the city's western edge.

Fifteen of them were, at one point, in critical condition and five were unstable, according to a city official.

Turenne added he does not expect to provide any further updates.

A carbon monoxide alarm went off at the motel onPortage Avenue, near the Perimeter Highway just after 10 a.m. CT Tuesday.

Eightfire trucks, along with ambulances and a majorincident response vehicle [MIRV] responded to the alarm, which was in the motel'sboiler room, saidWinnipeg Fire Paramedics Services chief John Lane.

Fifty-two peopleand a dog were forced from the motel, according to the city. Winnipeg Animal Services helped the dog.

"It became immediately apparent that there was carbon monoxide present in the location," Lane told reporters.

He said the carbon monoxide readings were as high as385parts per million. Ten to 20 parts per millionis when carbon monoxide becomes dangerous.

"I'm happy to say none of the patients were requiring resuscitation, none of them wereintubatedor anything," he said.

Watch John Lane speak to media:

46 patients taken to hospital

5 years ago

Duration 0:30

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service chief John Lane briefs the media about the carbon monoxide leak at the Super 8.

Motel guest LeoFlettwas sleeping when ambulances arrived. He said he fledhis room after getting a phone call notifying him of the emergency.

"I was kind of spooked," he toldCBCNews.

Fletttold emergency services he was okay and didn't go to hospital.

The motel's owner, Justin Schinkel, told reporters at the scenethat at least one of his staff needed oxygen after the building was evacuated.

"It's a huge misfortune that this happened,"said Schinkel, who wasn't at the motel when the alarm sounded,but said hewent there aftergetting a call from his general manager around 10:30 a.m.

"I'm super happy that the first responders got here as quickly as they did."

The leak "basically drained" the fire stations of the city's West End neighbourhood according to firefighters union president, Alex Forrest.

"This was a major, serious incident," Forrest told CBC News.

Watch Alex Forrest speak to media:

`Literally the nightmare scenario`

5 years ago

Duration 1:27

United Firefighters of Winnipeg president Alex Forrest talks about how crews handled the emergency.

The source of the leak is under investigation.Manitoba Hydro crews shut off the gas lines and started ventilating the building.

Schinkel said the motel recently had a fire inspection and has never had a gas leak. He also said the motelwasn't undergoing any upgrades at the time.