Dozens of workers have been hospitalised with carbon monoxide exposure after a gas leak at food processing facility

Dozens of workers have been hospitalised with carbon monoxide exposure following a gas leak at a food processing plant. Emergency services rushed to pork processing facility Derrimut in Melbourne to find 60 workers had been evacuated from the factory about 12.45pm on Monday. Casualties were suffering the effects of carbon monoxide exposure. Fire Rescue Victoria crews applied oxygen therapy to patients until paramedics arrived. “Firefighters donned breathing apparatus and entered the factory with gas detectors to take readings and assess the situation,” a spokesman said. “It was found that the carbon monoxide readings inside the building were still dangerously high.” The leak came from some meat preservation machinery. An Ambulance Victoria spokesman said 24 people were transported to various hospitals around Melbourne and are believed to be in a stable condition. “Advanced Life Support and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance paramedics assessed and treated multiple patients at the scene,” a spokesman said. WorkSafe have been notified of the incident.