BLACKSBURG, Va. – A carbon monoxide leak at an apartment complex near Virginia Tech left five female students unconscious, two of whom were in critical condition.
The leak, which occurred Aug. 19, appears to be the result of a malfunctioning gas water heater valve. A neighbor reported the leak after smelling fumes.
The incident sent a total of 19 people to the hospital. All but five were released the same day they were admitted. As of yesterday, the two who were in critical condition were upgraded to serious condition. The other three students should be released today.
This is the third major safety incident that has occurred at Virginia Tech in less than a year. On April 16, a deranged gunman shot and killed 32 students and faculty members before turning the gun on himself. In August of 2006, an escaped inmate shot and killed a police officer on campus.
