Toledo family struck by carbon monoxide poisoning: three dead, two children hospitalized

Three people have died and two children remain hospitalized in critical condition after carbon monoxide poisoning struck their vehicle following a flat tire Wednesday.

Toledo Police said officers responded to a report of unconscious people in a vehicle on the 300 block of Phillips Avenue, near Detroit Ave., around 11:10 a.m. on July 15.

Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong said the adult in the car had called the children’s father to say they had a flat tire. When the father arrived at the scene, he found all five people unconscious.

“They started rendering life saving treatments to all the patients as we call more crews to the scene and had a hazmat response because we didn’t know what we were dealing with,” Armstrong said.

Investigators determined there was no public threat. Crews rushed all five people to the hospital.

Armstrong said the heat complicated the response.

“The weather is very hot. That’s not only challenging for the responders, but for the patients themselves. We do the best we can to try and get them into shade or get them into an ambulance to get them out of the elements. Unfortunately, with this scene, that just wasn’t possible as quickly as we would have liked,” Armstrong said.

Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying that three members of the family had died, and that two children were hospitalized in critical condition.

“Our hearts are with this family as they face an unimaginable loss, and we are praying for the recovery of the two children who continue to fight for their lives,” Kapszukiewicz said. “We also extend our gratitude to the first responders, medical personnel, and law enforcement officers who responded swiftly and did everything they could under incredibly difficult circumstances.”

The mayor said that investigators do not suspect foul play, but a thorough investigation will determine what happened.

“Please keep this family in your thoughts during the difficult days ahead and pray for the recovery of the two children still fighting for their lives.”