Overview
- Eight people received treatment for mild carbon monoxide poisoning at Altenburg’s town hall after construction work triggered an evacuation on Thursday.
- Police say the gas built up when a petrol-powered tool was used in rooms without enough fresh air, which let the fumes spread undetected.
- Investigators have opened a case on suspicion of negligent bodily harm and are examining who failed to ensure proper safety measures.
- Local coverage notes the tool was an angle grinder used on a steel safe during maintenance, and town hall operations paused until midday as crews cleared the building.
- Carbon monoxide is an odorless byproduct of fuel engines, so using petrol tools indoors without ventilation can quickly turn dangerous and often prompts legal reviews of worksite practices.