A Rochester man who died Thursday morning is believed to have been killed by a carbon monoxide leak.
The Rochester Police and Fire Departments were called shortly before 9 a.m. to the 1000 block of 11th Street Southeast for a medical emergency and a possible deceased man, Rochester Police Lt. Mike Sadauskis said.
When firefighters arrived, they began administering first aid to a 61-year-old man before equipment alerted the crews to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Crews evacuated the home and ventilated the residence.
Rochester Fire Capt. Ben Davis wrote in an email that carbon monoxide levels were in excess of 500 parts per million. Most people start showing symptoms of poisoning at sustained levels of more than 70 parts per million, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. At sustained concentrations above 150 to 200 parts per million, disorientation, unconsciousness and death are possible.
"MN Energy determined that a faulty furnace was the cause. The furnace was taken out of service, and the gas to the home was locked out until the furnace can be replaced," Davis wrote.
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The man, identified as Rodney Dean Hanson, is believed to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning but an autopsy will confirm the cause of death, Sadauskis said.
Hanson was staying at a family member’s residence the night before after being picked from the hospital following a medical procedure, Sadauskis said. The family member felt ill and was unable to drive Hanson home, so he spent the night at the 11th Street Southeast residence.
On Thursday morning, the family member, a 70-year-old man, was taken to the hospital for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. A Mayo Clinic Hospital spokesman said Friday morning the man was listed in good condition.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, which can cause sudden illness and death and is produced any time a fossil fuel is burned, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
