The Daily News

A weekend church retreat changed overnight from a youth rally to a life threatening situation.

Eight youth from Hankinson’s United Church of Christ joined other middle and high school youth from across the state last weekend for the retreat in Jamestown.

The 29 girls and boys went to bed in their designated sleeping areas after Thursday activities were finished. The toxic gas, carbon monoxide, was filling the church.

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The gas is  colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-irritating and is difficult for people to detect. No one knows when or what caused the gas to pump into the church, but as it entered the carbon monoxide levels rose higher and higher.

Lisa Buckhaus, a sixth grade student at Hankinson, woke up early Friday morning feeling sick to her stomach. She was one of the first to wake up. Buckhaus had a headache, and felt dizzy and light-headed.

She tried waking some of the girls stretched out near her, but not all of them would wake.

Those who did had the same symptoms and the young woman knew something was wrong.

“When I woke up I was sick, dizzy and scared,” said Marlee Vellenga, a sixth-grader.

“I thought I had the swine flu,” said Moriah Weidner, sixth-graders.

Weidner got up with Buckhaus, she walked a few steps and fell down. Her legs wouldn’t support her for more than a few steps, she said. Weidner fell at least three times.

All 15 girls had slept in the same room and showed signs of flu-like symptoms.

When chaperones realized the number of ill children, they immediately called for emergency help.

According to an article in the Oct. 27 Jamestown Sun, "firefighters reported carbon monoxide readings of 379 parts per million (ppm)."

They also said that more than 50 ppm is dangerous and exposure to 400 ppm for more than three hours is life-threatening.

Each child’s blood was checked for carbon monoxide exposure at a Jamestown Hospital. Some were given oxygen, but five were airlifted to Minneapolis for a hyperbaric treatment, three of which were Marlee Vellenga and Alyssa and David Beeson  from Hankinson. The two girls had been sleeping under a heating vent, Vellenga said.

Treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning consists of administering 100 percent oxygen or providing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Oxygen works as an antidote as it removes excess carbon monoxide from the blood.

“I remember everything, especially the flight to Minneapolis,” Vellenga said. “I was really scared.”

Her parents, Deone and Ron Vellenga of Hankinson, drove to Minneapolis after hearing their daughter was airlifted to the Cities at 9 a.m. Friday.

“It is not a call you want to hear your daughter is being life-flighted to Minneapolis,” Ron Vellenga said.

When the Vellengas arrived at the hospital Marlee was entering the hyperbaric unit. It took her 2 1/2 hours to go through the treatment.

Although all the children and chaperones have been given a clean bill of health, the Vellengas can’t help but think of what could have happened.

“The carbon monoxide levels were so high in that church many of those kids were probably an hour away from dying,” Ron Vellenga said. “If people learn anything from this it should be to have carbon monoxide detectors in your homes and public buildings. Where there is a flame, carbon monoxide can be a problem.”

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