By By John Warren
The Virginian-Pilot

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Eight people at an oceanfront hotel were taken to the hospital with high levels of carbon monoxide about noon Sunday, a Beach fire official said.

Though the level of carbon monoxide in the spa area of the Ocean Sands Hotel was very high, none of the injuries is considered life-threatening, Virginia Beach Fire Department spokesman Leon Dextradeur said. The Ocean Sands Hotel is located at 22nd Street and Atlantic Avenue.

The fire department responded after emergency calls were made about hotel patrons suffering from nausea. While crews were investigating the source of their illness, a portion of the Oceanfront was shut down.

The problem was determined to be an electrical short in a spa motor that had caused a ventilation fan to malfunction, Dextradeur said. The fan didn't push carbon monoxide out of the equipment area, Dextradeur said.

Dextradeur said the possibility of such a carbon monoxide leak exists anywhere there are natural gas-powered appliances. If you own such an appliance, he said, a carbon monoxide detector is a must for prevention.

Around 9 p.m. Sunday, fire officials responded to the second "hazmat" call of the day at the Oceanfront. At Rudee Inlet area, there were reports of a diesel fuel leak. Fire officials were still investigating late Sunday.

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