Carbon monoxide safety: tips and symptoms

EL PASO, Texas -- As temperatures get cooler and people begin to heat their homes, El Pasoans are reminded of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Twenty-seven people, including children, were hospitalized Tuesday morning due to a carbon monoxide leak at a daycare in Pennsylvania Tuesday morning, ABC News reported.

According to ABC News, a cause for the leak has not been determined. However, UGI Utilities - who responded to the incident - believes the leak was caused by a faulty heating unit and a blocked ventilation system.

City of El Paso Fire officials recommend having heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces inspected and having carbon monoxide detectors set up, as carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.

According to El Paso Fire officials, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are flu-like without the fever and include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.

For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning and how to prevent it, you can visit the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association's website.