One dead, 11 hospitalized after carbon monoxide, gas leak at Lexington apartment complex

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — A carbon monoxide and natural gas leak at an apartment complex off Versailles Road early Friday morning has left one man dead and 11 others hospitalized, according to Lexington fire officials.

The leak happened at the Oxford Circle Apartments on Oxford Circle just before 5 a.m. Fire crews evacuated all 32 apartments after detecting dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide and natural gas inside the building.

One resident, William Yeary, told ABC 36 News Now he and his girlfriend were awakened by firefighters pounding on their door and evacuating the building. “I’m thankful to the police and fire department, because there would have been a lot of other people hurt if they didn’t show up when they did,” Yeary said. “I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Yeary described feeling dizzy and weak, symptoms fire officials say are consistent with carbon monoxide exposure.

Firefighters initially responded to the building around 2 a.m. after a resident reported feeling sick, but no leak was detected at that time. Crews returned hours later after receiving additional calls about multiple sick residents.

All 11 hospitalized residents are expected to survive, officials said. Residents remain displaced as the building cannot be reoccupied until it meets code requirements.

Nearby Harvest Worship Center offered lemonade, snacks, and bottled water to residents waiting outside Friday morning.

Columbia Gas confirmed it is assisting with the investigation. The property management for Oxford Circle declined to comment.

The Lexington Fire Department says the cause of the leak is still under investigation.