The Maine Fire Marshall's office said the source of carbon monoxide that briefly sent seven people from a Kittery child care to the hospital Wednesday was from an adjacent suite.
The office said exhaust from a propane-powered saw likely infiltrated Building Blocks Learning Center through the building's air ducts.
Staff at Building Blocks evacuated the child care center after they noticed an odor and people started to feel unwell. The Fire Marshall's office said the adjacent suite that was the source of the carbon monoxide was under construction but did not have proper permits, and fire alarms in the suite were also covered. It credits the staff of Building Blocks for taking swift action and preventing a tragedy.
The child care center has been the subject of two complaint investigations since it opened in August of 2023.
One found that the center failed to notify parents or file an incident report after a two-year-old followed a staff member outside and was unattended for an unknown period of time. The center also didn't file an incident report after a child choked on a binder clip and staff had to call 911.
Another complaint investigation last year found that Building Blocks failed to notify the state after a toddler's elbow was dislocated.
Other violations included incidents of inadequate supervision of children and infants sleeping with blankets and stuffed animals.
A message to the owner of Building Blocks seeking comment has not been returned.
