It turns out a floor-cleaning machine may have been what caused carbon monoxide to leak into a day care centre in Quebec yesterday forcing 73 children and about a dozen adults to evacuate.
The gas caused headaches and vomiting, and workers called emergency services. Responders quickly suspected carbon monoxide gas which is colourless and odourless, but can be lethal, and evacuated the centre.
Many children were taken to a health centre in St-Eustache, just north east of Montreal, treated and released. Two children with more serious symptoms were transferred to hospital in Montreal as a precaution.
The daycare remained closed today while officials investigated and made sure all the gas had dissipated.
Many Canadian families send their pre-school children to daycare centres on weekdays since it has become common for both parents to work outside the home. While incidents such as this one are rare, they do draw parents’ attention.
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