Five people - two adults and three children aged 6, 7 and 11 - suffered from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning on Tuesday evening in the Brussels/Capital Region municipality of Jette.
The victims were transferred to the Neder-over-Heembeek military hospital, where they were treated with oxygen, according to the Brussels Fire Brigade.
Emergency services had been called at around 4.45 p.m. to Jette, where several members of the same family had felt unwell after taking a bath. The emergency services found high levels of CO in the family's flat, located on the ground floor of a four-storey building.
"The three children were in a serious condition and, together with the two adults present, the mother and grandmother, they were transferred to the Neder-over-Heembeek military hospital, where they received oxygen therapy in a hyperbaric chamber," a spokesman for the Fire Brigade said. "Seven other residents of the same building were also examined but did not have to go to hospital."
The intoxication was caused by poor flue gas evacuation: the flue pipe was probably leaking.
"In 16 of the 17 flats in the building, the gas supply was cut off," the spokesman added. "In the 17th flat, a new burner had just been installed, with a separate exhaust and fresh air supply."
