Faulty HVAC unit blamed for carbon monoxide scare at Laurier Avenue highrise

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Ottawa Fire Services blamed a faulty rooftop HVAC unit for the extremely high levels of carbon monoxide that prompted the evacuation of a Laurier Avenue highrise Wednesday morning.

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No one was injured in the incident, the Ottawa Paramedic Service confirmed.

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The fire department said that crews were called to 50 Laurier Ave. at about 4 a.m. and cleared the scene at about 6:30 a.m.

Residents sheltered in a University of Ottawa building and on OC Transpo buses as firefighters detected carbon monoxide levels as high as 170 parts per million on the upper floors.

The Hazmat team was called in. Crews tracked down the source and ventilated the entire building.

Firefighters took continuous carbon monoxide readings and shut down the HVAC units on the roof and tagged them for service.

Residents were able to return to their units, the fire department said, thanking uOttawa security and Ottawa police for their help with the evacuation.