Premature Birth Blamed on Faulty Ventilation

NORFOLK (CN) — A Virginia woman claims in court that exposure to poorly maintained ventilation equipment at work caused the carbon monoxide poisoning that led to the pre-mature birth of her child.

In a complaint filed in the Norfolk Circuit Court, Krystal Waters says that while working in the kitchen of Signature HealthCARE of Harbour Point, she and several of her coworkers became ill after faulty stove exhaust and ventilation system repairs at the facility.

Waters says that for several weeks prior to March 22, 2015, defendant BFPE International Inc.

made multiple trips to Signature's kitchen and performed a series of faulty repairs that caused excessive amounts of carbon monoxide to flow into the kitchen.

Waters, who was pregnant at the time, says after exposure to dangerously high levels of poisonous gas over a prolonged period, she needed to be hospitalized. While in the hospital, her child was delivery several weeks early.

Waters seeks $70,000 in compensatory damages.

Scott Jenkins, the chief financial officer for BFPE International declined to comment on the pending litigation.

Richard Serpe, Water's attorney, was unavailable to comment.

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