Two boys released from hospital but their 65-year-old grandfather remains at VGH following carbon monoxide leak

An older man and two children have been taken to hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a Vancouver home Tuesday

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Two boys are out of the hospital but their 65-year-old grandfather remains at Vancouver General after a carbon monoxide leak on Tuesday night, a relative confirms.

Crews were called to the area of Tyne Street near 47th Avenue around 11:30 p.m.

“When they arrived on scene they were treating a resident for chest pain and discovered there was a carbon monoxide issue,” Assistant Chief Dan Stroup with Vancouver Fire and Rescue tells NEWS 1130.

Inder Tiwana, who lives at the home and is the boys’ uncle and the 65-year-old’s son, says he came home around 9:00 p.m. with “good energy.”

“Soon after I started to feel lethargic a little bit as well,” he says. “My dad came to me about 11 o’clock and was complaining about chest pains and said to call the ambulance.”

Inder Tiwana lives in the home on Tyne St, says nephews (4,7) are out of the hospital, 65-yr-old dad still. Confirms carbon monoxide leak likely from hot water boiler. Encourages people to get detectors, “this could have been tragic. We could have lost the family” @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/YppWvfBRiO — Simon Druker (@Simon_Druker) January 16, 2019

Tiwana says once emergency crews arrived, firefighters’ carbon monoxide detectors started going off. It was then that the home was evacuated.

“BCAS three individuals, tested all individuals for carbon monoxide and transported three individuals — two to Children’s and one to VGH,” Stroup says.

Meanwhile a family member who just showed up to check says all three people in the hospital are still there for observation but will be ok. @NEWS1130 — Simon Druker (@Simon_Druker) January 16, 2019

Fortis BC was called in to check the gas lines as firefighters ventilated the home. Stroup says a total of nine people were living at the home; they will be allowed back in once the readings for carbon monoxide are at “zero.”

There’s still no word on the source of the leak, but Tiwana suspects it came from the home’s hot water tank.

He confirms the house was not equipped with working carbon monoxide detectors.

“Odourless, colourless, we had no idea,” he says. “So I definitely urge everyone to get [carbon monoxide] detectors and have them in the house. $10 could save some lives.”

Tiwana adds both he and his sister had been feeling “a little off” over the past week, and suspects there may have been a “series” of leaks.

“I feel grateful that we caught it and everyone’s ok. I urge everyone to get those [carbon monoxide] detectors and be safe.”