A Koreatown apartment complex was red-tagged Friday after one man died and three others reported feeling sick Thursday from a possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
Firefighters found the victims after responding about 5:45 p.m. to a four-story apartment building at 920 S. Hobart Blvd., near Olympic Boulevard, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Hazardous materials experts were summoned to conduct tests, searches and surveys of all of the 90-year-old building's 48 units, Humphrey said.
Officials deemed the complex as "too dangerous to go into" as they conduct tests to investigate if a carbon monoxide leak is present. Red tag notices are issued when the city or county notes that there is a dangerous problem with a structure or property.
The red tag notice indicated that a faulty boiler or gas appliance may have caused the evacuations.
Red Cross responded to help the estimated 50 people and their pets in finding shelter overnight.
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Crews were using "sophisticated hand-held sensing equipment," Humphrey said.
Carbon monoxide is odorless and can be difficult to detect. Symptoms of being poisoned by a leak include shortness of breath, vomiting, headaches and can even result in death.
"While carbon monoxide is suspected today, the search and site evaluation is still in progress," Humphrey said on Thursday.
One man who lived in the apartment complex died just earlier this week, but the coroner says he died of reasons unrelated to carbon monoxide.
