At least 32 people were injured by a carbon monoxide (CO) leak which was triggered by a defective boiler in a New York City highrise, according to city firefighters.
The New York City Fire Department reported all injuries as “minor”, adding that the leaking pipe has been “capped” and carbon monoxide levels in the building are dropping.
The NYPD, fire department and bomb squad were deployed to the basement fire on West Broadway and Murray Street after reports of a suspicious package discovered in the basement of a 12-storey apartment building.
The package was found to be a defective oil burner by emergency services. The premises was then evacuated after the fire department found high levels of CO throughout the building.
"We found a defective boiler in the basement with some sort of broken pipe that was producing the CO,"said NYFD Chief James Leonard to ABC.
Early reports of the incident drew on concerns that a box in the basement caused the sickness after it was opened and released a powder substance. However, the box merely contained salad bowls delivered on Monday.