5 people in Brockton taken to hospital with CO poisoning

BROCKTON, Mass. (WHDH) -- Five people were taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning in Brockton on Monday.

A few hours later, fire officials were called back to the apartment complex for another carbon monoxide detector going off after Sue Foster's entire family -- in a neighboring building -- was rushed to the hospital just a couple of hours before.

Snowed in and with power only to the living room, Sue Foster spent the morning baking. Everyone at home -- Foster, her daughter, and her two grandchildren -- didn't feel well but no one mentioned it.

“All day, but I put it down as just from being in the house, I had a headache all day, was a little nauseous. The two-year-old was a little off but he’s had the croup. Didn’t think anything of it,” said Foster.

Around 3 Monday afternoon, Foster turned the oven back on to warm supper -- and the CO detector went off. Her whole family of four and a visiting neighbor were rushed to the hospital with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide poising.

The news was frightening for the complex where many families without power and heat admit to staying warm by using a stove.

“Boil water so the steam can keep us warm, and some of us use the stove, the oven -- some people use the oven to keep the apartment warm,” said Cletie Emilie, a neighbor.

For Foster, the gas to her stove has been shut off for now. Her family is back home from the hospital and feeling better. And Foster knows they're lucky to be alive.