TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A total 13 Chinese tourists staying at a Bed and Breakfast in the tourist town of Jiufen were hospitalized this morning after being exposed to excessive carbon monoxide from a poorly ventilated water heater, reported CNA.

At 5 a.m. this morning, one of the tourists, a woman surnamed Sun (孫) complained of dizziness and vomiting. The fire department rushed to the scene and rushed her to a hospital, along with 12 of her countrymen as a precaution, after the concentration of carbon monoxide at the scene was measured at 35 ppm.

The fire department received a call at 5:55 a.m. this morning that a woman in a two-story residential building on Lunding Road in New Taipei City's Ruifeng District was suspected of suffering carbon monoxide poisoning. Fire departments from Jiufen, Ruifeng, Shuangxi, and Ruiting dispatched five vehicles and 24 firefighters to the scene.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, 13 independent travelers from Shanghai, China were found to be conscious. Only a 27-year-old woman surnamed Sun was exhibiting symptoms of dizziness and vomiting.

Firefighters immediately rushed Sun to Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for treatment. The remaining 12 were sent to the following hospitals as a preventative measure: Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (5), Tri-Service General Hospital Keelung Branch, and Keelung Hospital (3), Ministry of Health and Welfare (4).

Fortunately, none of the tourists were suffering from life-threatening symptoms and are in stable condition.

After inspecting the B&B, Police found that the water heater in the laundry room had been installed without proper ventilation to expel gas fumes. Police found that all the windows around the water heater had been tightly sealed.

When investigators arrived on the scene, they found that the concentration of carbon monoxide inside the B&B had reached 35 ppm. Cheng Hsiang-huang (鄭向晃), captain of the 6th Disaster Relief and Rescue Brigade of the New Taipei City Fire Department, told CNA that water heaters should be installed in areas with proper ventilation.

Cheng also warned against installing water heaters on illegally constructed balconies, next to dirty screens, or where large amounts of clothing are hung to dry.

Exterior of B&B. (CNA image)