Two Hospitalized After Carbon Monoxide Forces Evacuation of Calgary Casino

• Two people were hospitalized after a casino carbon monoxide exposure incident
• Emergency crews found CO levels peaking at 215 ppm
• About 300 people safely evacuated from Pure Casino Calgary

Two individuals were hospitalized Tuesday after elevated carbon monoxide (CO) levels prompted a mid‑afternoon evacuation of the Pure Casino Calgary in northeast Calgary, The Calgary Herald reports.

Emergency responders arrived at the casino shortly after 3 pm following reports of a fire in the venue’s boiler room. Firefighters measured CO readings of 40 ppm throughout the building, with spikes as high as 215 ppm in certain areas.

Authorities haven’t disclosed the originating appliance or system, and the Pure Calgary Casino hasn’t issued a statement. Casino.org has contacted the casino for comment.

Silent Killer

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Common sources include malfunctioning furnaces, boilers, generators, and vehicle exhaust.

Leaks can occur when combustion appliances are poorly maintained, venting systems are blocked, or exhaust lines are improperly sealed. Mechanical failures, such as cracked heat exchangers, clogged flues, or back‑drafting from negative indoor pressure, make spaces unsafe, particularly when ventilation is inadequate.

Tragedy Strikes

While CO incidents in casinos are rare, they have occurred. In February this year, two children died of CO poisoning in a van parked inside a garage at Detroit’s Greektown Casino. They had slept in a running vehicle inside the structure, and investigators later confirmed carbon monoxide from the exhaust as the cause, overturning earlier assumptions of hypothermia

Another tragic case occurred in 2006 at Casino West, Nevada, where a defective pool heater exhaust in a motel‑casino lodging area released CO through improperly installed vents. Four guests died after exposure, and roughly 138 were hospitalized. Investigators determined that multiple failures, including sealed vents and poor installation, led to the leak.