Two people are dead and two others are hospitalized following a carbon monoxide leak in central Maine on Tuesday morning.
Fire officials told News Center Maine they responded to a home on Belfast Road in Freedom shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday and found two people dead inside. Two others were taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment.
The cause of the leak is believed to be a cut in an exhaust line of the home's heating system, officials said. The Waldo County Sheriff's Office is leading the ongoing investigation.
The names of the victims have not been released.
Emergency crews had cleared the scene as of noon Tuesday.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. Signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting, as well as shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, or loss of consciousness.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms, or if a carbon monoxide alarm goes off, should exit their home, get to fresh air, and call 911 immediately so their local fire department can investigate the cause of the alarm, according to the fire marshal's office.
