12 suffer possible CO poisoning at Osaka bakery

Wednesday 30th July, 06:48 PM JST

OSAKA —

Twelve people were treated in hospital Wednesday for possible carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an apparent lack of ventilation at a bakery shop in Osaka’s Higashisumiyoshi Ward, local firefighters said. The 12 victims—10 employees of Bakery Factory Gough and two customers—remained conscious but two women, aged 18 and 28, are in serious condition.

According to the firefighters, an employee of the shop called an ambulance at around 7:50 a.m., saying, ‘‘People collapsed while we were baking bread in the oven.’’ High levels of carbon monoxide were detected at the bakery and its ventilation unit had stopped, according to the local fire department. According to the investigation, employees of the bakery started to warm up the gas oven at around 4:30 a.m. and started baking bread around 6 a.m. Around 30 minutes after the shop opened at 7 a.m., a 19-year-old female employee suddenly fell sick in front of the oven and then several people collapsed in the baking area and at a cash register, according to the investigation.

The bakery, which is popular and has been featured on TV programs, is located in a residential area about 500 meters south of JR Minami-Tanabe Station on the Hanwa line.

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4 Comments

some14some at 09:42 PM JST - 30th July

possible CO poisoning ? Possible cost cut measures, saving elec charges, saving maintenance chages and/or saving labor charging, long working hours without overtime? Wishing quick recovery of two young women.
ilcub76 at 12:26 AM JST - 31st July

If the food doesn't kill you, the store will.
motytrah at 04:59 AM JST - 31st July

That's too bad. The women in serious condition most likely have brain damage.
romulus3 at 05:19 AM JST - 31st July

gee, you would have thought they would have stopped business if the ventilation system was down. everyone knows the effects of gas. seems like someone made a bad call.