After Hurricane Ida, 12 hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning due to generator use

As of Wednesday, more than 1 million people are stranded without power.

ByHaley Yamada
September 1, 2021, 8:44 PM

At least 12 people, including seven children, were hospitalized in New Orleans on Wednesday with carbon monoxide poisoning after using a generator indoors, according to the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services.

Four days after Hurricane Ida tore across the Gulf, more than 1 million people in Louisiana and Mississippi are currently stranded without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.

PHOTO: Crews begin work on downed power lines leading to a fire station, Aug. 31, 2021, in Waggaman, La., as residents try to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida.
Crews begin work on downed power lines leading to a fire station, Aug. 31, 2021, in Waggaman, La., as residents try to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida.
Steve Helber/AP

On Wednesday, the heat index in Louisiana peaked to what felt like 100 degrees. Some turned to portable generators for the power to cool down indoors.

If used improperly, generators indoors can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services.

PHOTO: People wait in line to have their gas cans filled, Sept. 1, 2021, in Maurepas, La.
People wait in line to have their gas cans filled, Sept. 1, 2021, in Maurepas, La. Tropical Storm Ida made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday in Louisiana and brought flooding, wind damage and power outages along the Gulf Coast.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images

The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness announced Wednesday that eight cooling centers across the city will run through Friday.

Charging stations, water and air conditioning are provided on site, according to a release.

PHOTO: Vanessa Curtis Nosetti charges her phone with others at a charging station set up off a generator at Mayhew Bakery as power continues to be out in most of the city after hurricane Ida ripped through the state, in New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2021.
Vanessa Curtis Nosetti charges her phone with others at a charging station set up off a generator at Mayhew Bakery as power continues to be out in most of the city after hurricane Ida ripped through the state, in New Orleans, Sept. 1, 2021.
Leah Millis/Reuters

More than 20,000 electric workers have worked to help restore power in the area, power company Entergy New Orleans said.

Entergy, which provides power to more than 1 million customers in the greater Baton Rouge area, said that crews were able to restore power to one of the eight transmission lines in New Orleans on Wednesday, returning power to nearly 85,000 customers in eastern New Orleans.

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