Carbon dioxide poisoning at LAX leaves 4 sick, including one in ‘grave condition’

LOS ANGELES – A carbon dioxide leak at Los Angeles International Airport left four workers sick Monday morning, including one man in critical condition, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The LAFD said workers in a utility room about 200 feet from the Terminal 8 Baggage Area heard a “popping sound” around 7 a.m., which coincided with the release of the carbon dioxide vapor. A hazardous materials team was dispatched to the airport to investigate the situation.

Three men and one woman were sickened, the LAFD said. A 50-year-old man was in grave condition – not breathing and without a pulse when first responders arrived. First responders performed CPR on the man and he was taken to an area hospital where his pulse was revived. His condition was updated from grave to critical, according to the LAFD.

It was not immediately clear if the workers were LAX employees.

Airport officials moved about 100 people from Terminal 8 to Terminal 7, the LAFD said.

“A reported release of Carbon Dioxide … has apparently led to a total of four persons taking suddenly ill,” LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said in an early statement.

Humphrey said the situation is not escalating at this time.

Trace amounts of the gas remained in the utility room around 9 a.m. Monday, Humphrey said.

The airport said in a tweet that it was clearing Terminal 8 of passengers and sending them to Terminal 7 for “screening and access” as the LAFD investigated.

They added that inbound United Airlines flights to the terminal were being held at their origin airports pending the investigation.