4 sickened by carbon monoxide near Fairbanks

FAIRBANKS — Firefighters say a malfunctioning oil-burning furnace clogged a chimney with soot, flooding a rented house in the Fairbanks area with carbon monoxide and sickening four people.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports a fifth occupant of the house came home Monday afternoon in time to call 911.

Firefighters at the Steese Area Volunteer Fire Department say three people were unconscious and a fourth confused. All were hospitalized, but state troopers say they do not appear to be seriously harmed.

The fire chief says the gas level had probably been rising for a day and was high enough to be lethal within hours.

Firefighters say the house didn’t have a carbon monoxide detector or smoke detector.