17 L.I. Pen And Marker Business Workers Sickened By Carbon Monoxide

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Seventeen workers at a pen and magic marker manufacturer on Long Island were hospitalized Wednesday after being exposed to carbon monoxide.

Suffolk County police responded around 2:45 p.m. to the Liqui-Mark facility at 30 Davids Dr. in Hauppauge after a woman who works there complained of a headache and nausea, police said.

Hauppauge Central Islip Rescue crews also responded, and carbon monoxide detectors indicated high levels of the toxic gas, police said.

The Hauppauge Fire Department tested 30 employees, and 17 of them tested positive for carbon monoxide exposure, police said.

The woman who initially got sick was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Islip in a non-life-threatening condition. The other 16 victims were taken to Good Samaritan, as well as Southside Hospital in Bay Shore and St. Catherine of Sienna Medical Center in Smithtown despite reporting no symptoms.

Liqui-Mark was closed pending the repair of an air conditioning unit that was believed to be to blame, and more carbon monoxide detectors were being installed.