Twenty-one people have been taken to hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a pork processing plant in Melbourne’s west.
Firefighters arrived to find 60 people evacuated and several people suffering carbon monoxide exposure at a factory on Benn Court in Derrimut about 12.45pm today.
Crews applied oxygen therapy until paramedics reached the scene.
Fourteen people have been taken to hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a pork processing plant in Melbourne’s west. (Nine)
They rushed 21 people, all believed to be in a stable condition, to the Western Health Sunshine, Western Health Footscray, The Royal Melbourne and Werribee Mercy hospitals.
The advanced life support and intensive care ambulances assessed others at the scene.
Firefighters in breathing apparatus with gas detectors entered the factory and recorded “dangerously high” carbon monoxide readings.
The building was ventilated until the atmosphere dropped to safe levels and the incident was brought under control less than an hour later.
The carbon monoxide leak was found to have come from meat preservation machinery.
Carbon monoxide, a poisonous, colourless and odourless gas, can be fatal if inhaled in close spaces.
WorkSafe inspectors are at the scene and assessing the situation.
