49 women taken ill in jail CO alert

Nearly 50 female inmates at a central Pennsylvania prison have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.

A statement from York County said five inmates have been detained in hospital, with the remaining 44 returned to the York County Prison.

The women fell ill in a prison dormitory yesterday evening.

Officials said a preliminary investigation indicated that the deadly odourless and colourless gas may have come from the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

That system has been shut down and the county’s statement said carbon monoxide levels have returned to normal.

About 215 women are incarcerated at the prison, 85 miles (137km) west of Philadelphia.

Prisoners living in the affected unit have been relocated to other areas in the jail.

Warden Mary Sabol told the York Daily Record she and the prison board would discuss installing CO detectors.