Warren hotel evacuated after couple, dog found unconscious

WARREN, Mich. (WJBK) - A couple and their dog were found unconscious inside a Warren hotel room after being apparently overcome by a carbon monoxide leak. The couple was supposed to check out that day, but it looks like the cleaning crew found them just in time.

FOX 2 is told the hotel serves mainly corporate clients and luckily many were at work at the time, just getting back to learn what had happened.

"(We were) just wondering what was going on as soon as we walked in, they said we couldn't go to our room," said Kirk Reed.

Kirk Reed and his grandson Andrew, who just drove up from Canton, Ohio, were looking forward to a few days in metro Detroit until they found out they weren't allowed into their hotel room because of a carbon monoxide leak.

"What a way to walk into our vacation here to see the Henry Ford Museum and LEGO Land with him thinking hope the rest of the vacation goes better than this," Reed said.

They were told all guests at Warren's Hawthorne Suites had been evacuated because a couple and their dog had been found unconscious.

The hotel manager said a cleaning crew discovered the Colorado couple and their dog, who were supposed to check out. Employees knocked on the door and when no one answered, they walked in and found what they thought was a man and woman in their 60s sleeping.

When Warren police, fire and medics were called, it was discovered they had high levels of carbon monoxide.

"We are not sure for what reason but the guests put the heat on, in the room 1922," said Dean Jamoua, the general manager. "The weather is over 90 degrees. Now with the heat on, what that did was melt pipe wires which caused the carbon monoxide leak."

FOX 2 is told firefighters actually found a bird's nest in the vent and believe it blocked the air flow, which led to the poisoning.

The couple and their dog were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital where they were placed in an oxygen chamber for treatment. They are expected to be okay.

As for Kirk and his grandson, vacation would just start a few hours later as they waited for Consumers Energy to give them the all clear before they could check into their rooms.

"They just said they would let us know," Reed said. "(There is) a whole bunch people waiting to get back to their rooms."