Child killed and others found unconscious after deadly carbon monoxide leak at Michigan hotel

A carbon monoxide leak at a Michigan hotel has left one child dead and injured at least a dozen other people.

Authorities believe a malfunctioning poll heater was responsible for the deadly leak on Saturday (1 April) at the Quality Inn in Niles – where carbon monoxide levels were 16 times over the safe limit.

Staff at the South 11th Street hotel raised the alarm after they found six children unresponsive in the pool area – all of whom were rushed to hospital by emergency responders.

No details have yet been released about the child, who died after inhaling the poisonous fumes, but at least 12 people including the children, several members of staff at the hotel, a police officer and two sheriff's deputies were also hospitalised in the incident.

There has been no information released about the severity of the condition of those people who were taken from the scene to hospital.

Niles Fire Department Captain Don Wise told WDNU16 that a high level of carbon monoxide had been discovered in the pool area, while lower levels of the gas were detected in other areas of the hotel.

It is not yet clear if a carbon monoxide detector was in place around the pool area where the leak is believed to have happened.