Child hospitalized after carbon monoxide poisoning in Rotterdam-Zuid
A five-year-old child and three others were hospitalized Sunday morning after high levels of carbon monoxide were detected in a portico flat on Joubertstraat in the Feijenoord district of Rotterdam-Zuid. Emergency responders evacuated approximately 10 apartments in the building as a precaution.
The incident was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m., according to a spokesperson for the Veiligheidsregio Rotterdam-Rijnmond. “We received a call about a child who had fallen ill in the building,” the spokesperson said. Measurements conducted on-site revealed dangerously high concentrations of carbon monoxide, prompting the evacuation of surrounding apartments.
Displaced residents were temporarily sheltered at a nearby community center. Authorities expect them to return to their homes once carbon monoxide levels have decreased to a safe range.
Emergency services also rescued a pet parakeet from one of the affected apartments.
Preliminary findings suggest the issue may be linked to a malfunctioning central heating system. “We’re still investigating, but it could be due to a defective boiler,” said the Veiligheidsregio spokesperson.
The condition of the hospitalized individuals, including the child, is not yet clear. However, officials believe the prompt response likely prevented more severe outcomes.
