VIRGIL, NY (CortacaToday) – No injuries were reported after a carbon monoxide alarm in Cortland County.

The Virgil Fire Department, joined by the City of Cortland Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Response Team, responded to a residence in Virgil around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Crews tested the home for gas, which showed an “elevated volatile organic compound” and Carbon Monoxide. They determined the alarm was triggered by faulty solar batteries leaking acid.

Cortland FD says the battery failure released Hydrogen, which can appear as carbon monoxide on many cross-sensitive CO sensors. Twelve batteries were removed from the home, after which testing showed the gas levels in the house returned to normal.  Units were at the scene for roughly 3.5 hours.

Authorities encourage anyone with these kinds of batteries in their home to know the signs of failure and have them regularly inspected.