3 People & Cat Treated for Carbon Monoxide Fumes

Three people were rushed to local hospitals after they were exposed to carbon monoxide fumes thought to have come from a car left running in a garage.

A spokesperson for says it happened at 6:16 p.m. Monday at a home at 156 Steeplechase Lane.

Two guests were visiting the homeowner when one guest started to feel light-headed and went outside for fresh air. While outside, the guest heard the car running inside the garage. She then went back inside to get the two people out of the home. She also turned off the running car.

The 60 year-old homeowner was taken by ambulance to Mease Countryside Hospital. Her two guests were taken by ambulance to Mease Dunedin Hospital. All three were reported to be in stable condition.

A woman who lives next door was evacuated from her home because of a high carbon monoxide reading. She refused to be treated.

Firefighters also found a female cat unconscious inside the home. They treated it with a pet oxygen mask and transported the cat to  in Palm Harbor.

"They were giving her oxygen by mask up until they got her here," said Veterinarian Jean McKnight, "Then we gave her oxygen in the mask and put her in the incubator."

The siamese-mix cat will stay in the incubator -which has oxygen pumped into it- until she improves. 

McKnight says she and her staff have treated pets who've been overcome by smoke, but this was a first at the emergency clinic, "I don't think' I've ever had a carbon monoxide poisoning before," she said.  

The names of those treated have not been released. The veterinarian was not told the name of the cat.