Emergency personnel were sent to the church in the Oise department after several people complained of headaches during the religious ceremony on Christmas eve. The church was evacuated to a nearby community hall where 72 people were treated. Local emergency official Nicolas Mougin said carbon monoxide levels up to 350 parts per million (ppm) were measured inside the church. The cause of the poisoning has not been determined but investigators were looking into a gas heater. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odourless, invisible gas produced when burning fuels such as coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane or natural gas.

Source: The Local December 25, 2019 15:11 UTC