Carpet cleaning equipment causes high carbon monoxide levels at Cottage Grove apartment complex

GOTTAGE GROVE, Wis. (WMTV) - A contractor’s vehicle with carpet cleaning equipment left running throughout the day Thursday was the cause of high carbon monoxide levels detected in a Cottage Grove apartment, firefighters say.

The Cottage Grove Fire Department arrived around 6 p.m. Thursday to the 100 block of Limestone Pass for an alarm going off.

Firefighters determined that high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the building, with amounts varying throughout hallways and units. They then evacuated the building.

Investigators determined a contractor who was performing carpet cleanings had parked their vehicle in a parking garage near a building entrance. They left the cleaning equipment running, which omitted CO levels.

The fire department also noted that the complexity of the building’s design required additional resources to help air it out and remove the carbon monoxide.

The fire department thanked the residents for their patience and several responding agencies for their help.

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