Avalon Park Walmart Evacuated Due to Carbon Monoxide Levels

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 10, 2015

An Avalon Park Walmart was evacuated early Sunday morning due to high levels of carbon monoxide present in the air. Seven people of the thirteen who were inside the building were being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, with the others refusing treatment according to Orange County Fire and Rescue.

A hazmat team and a mass casualty team were dispatched to the site sometime around 6 a.m. However, no one from the two team could enter the building immediately to investigate because the levels of carbon monoxide were initially too high. An air and light truck on the scene was helping to provide ventilation to reduce the concentration of the gas within the building.

This particular Walmart store is undergoing a facelift and is currently being remodeled inside, however the store is still open for customers 24 hours a day. Investigators have traced the source of the carbon monoxide to a piece of equipment that is being used in the remodel. It is unknown at this time if any of the individuals who were evacuated were customers. Fire officials have pledged that the store will remain closed until carbon monoxide readings drop to a safe level within the store.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, vomiting, weakness, confusion and chest pain. The symptoms are many time described as ‘flu-like’ and result from an inability of your body to absorb oxygen as you breathe. This is because carbon monoxide in your bloodstream blocks the uptake of oxygen, and your body slowly suffocates.

Construction crews are required by law to take the necessary precautions to protect both their workers and other people in close proximity to the work being performed. In this case, a piece of equipment was used indoors without proper ventilation, which the construction crew should have been aware was a physical hazards for all persons around the work site.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of an accident on a construction site, please contact us today at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587).

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.