Seventeen workers at a Hauppauge-based pen-and-marker manufacturing company were hospitalized Wednesday for carbon monoxide poisoning believed to be caused by a broken air conditioning unit, Suffolk County police said.
Officers and Hauppauge Central Islip Rescue emergency medical technicians responded to a report of a woman complaining of a headache and nausea at Liqui-Mark on Davids Drive at 2:45 p.m., police said.
Upon arrival, carbon monoxide detectors alerted officers and EMTs to the presence of high levels of carbon monoxide, police said. Out of 30 employees, 17 tested positive for carbon monoxide exposure, police said.
The initial patient was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for treatment of non-life threatening conditions. The other 16 victims felt no symptoms but were taken to various hospitals for treatment.
The business is closed pending the repair of the air conditioner and additional detectors are also being installed, authorities said. The Smithtown Fire Marshal also responded to assist in the investigation, which is continuing.
