Carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected in the death of a man on March 8 in a Koreatown apartment building, and authorities are looking into whether another man who died four days earlier in the building may have suffered the same fate.

Flowers, candles and photographs were left in front of an apartment building in which two people died in early March. (photo by Edwin Folven)

On March 8 at approximately 5:45 p.m., Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to a call about a woman suffering from an unknown medical ailment at the four-story apartment building at 920 S. Hobart Blvd. Firefighters realized “something was wrong,” said LAFD spokeswoman Amy Bastman, and walked throughout the building with handheld gas detectors. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide were found. The 48-unit building was immediately evacuated and firefighters went door to door checking on residents. They found a 68-year-old man dead in one of the units. The female victim is recovering, and no further injuries were reported.

Lt. David Smith, with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, declined to identify the decedent pending notification of next of kin. The cause of death has been deferred.

Coroner’s office officials have also deferred listing the cause of death of another man found dead inside the building on March 4. That victim was identified as Derrick Barrett, 53.

Smith said further testing is needed to determine whether the two men died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but it is suspected based on the elevated levels of carbon monoxide found inside the building. Following the evacuation, firefighters notified the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and the building was red-tagged. The American Red Cross helped the evacuated residents find shelter.

The Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department oversees all buildings with two or more units and took the lead in investigating the incident. On March 9, crews from the fire department, the building and safety department and the Southern California Gas Company inspected the building and determined there was a problem with vents for a water heater/boiler in the building’s basement. New vents were installed and carbon monoxide tests were conducted, and the building was determined to be safe. Residents were allowed to move back in.

The building had functioning carbon monoxide alarms that sounded but residents may have not known they were supposed to leave or ignored them, said Sally Richman, public information officer for the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department. The apartment building dates to 1928. Richman declined to identify the owner. There were no pending cases or corrective actions against the building or its owner, Richman said.

The situation has been determined to be an accident and the city is not conducting a criminal investigation, but it is unclear whether there will be civil ramifications for the owner. The fire department cited the carbon monoxide leak as an example of the dangers the gas can cause. Carbon monoxide is sometimes called a “silent killer” because the gas is colorless, odorless, tasteless and nonirritating. Household appliances that run on natural gas can potentially leak carbon monoxide.

Since 2013, the city has required that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in all buildings. While people know to evacuate when they hear a fire alarm, they may not be aware of danger when a carbon monoxide alarm sounds because there are no visible signs, Richman said.

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms have been likened to the flu and include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. People who inhale large amounts of carbon monoxide can be rendered unconscious and die.

Anyone who thinks carbon monoxide may be leaking in a building should immediately evacuate and call 911, according to the LAFD. If it is a non-emergency, call the Southern California Gas Company at (800)427-2200.