Hazardous Condition at Sleep Inn & Suites Lakeland
Lakeland, FL – Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) was dispatched to a call Sunday, March 13 at approximately 11:00 AM for a Hazardous Condition at Sleep Inn & Suites Lakeland located at 4321 Lakeland Park Drive. While in route, crews were advised there were multiple patients. LFD firefighters directed dispatch to contact the hotel to evacuate all guests from the property. Upon arrival, the first responding units observed several individuals outside needing assistance.
LFD firefighters immediately established a triage area and treated patients who had advised the hotel manager they were not feeling well and stated their hotel rooms had a strange odor. Simultaneously, additional crews began an investigation of the property.
Hotel rooms belonging to the patients on the second floor produced carbon monoxide (CO) readings of approximately 160 PPM. The CO source was discovered within a riser room containing commercial water heaters. The venting pipe system was disconnected, and the reported CO level was 550 PPM.
After testing subsequent floors and other areas of the hotel, LFD crews opened all windows and doors, ventilated the property, and released the scene back to hotel management once a reading level of 0 PPM was obtained.
A total of eight patients were transported by Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) medic units to local hospitals for carbon monoxide poisoning. Patients comprised of four adults and four pediatrics. Lakeland Fire Department’s Rescue Division has reached out for an update on patient status; however, no update is available at this time.
Additional information and resources regarding fire safety can be found on our website www.lakelandgov.net/lfd and social media sites @LakelandFD.
