NewsLeak

A gas leak at a 16-unit apartment building in Wisconsin Sunday morning hospitalized 11 people with carbon monoxide-related illness.

According to the Post-Crescent, authorities in New London responded to a call at 505 Oakridge Lane, and proceeded to evacuate the building after discovering a gas leak. The town's fire department believes the leak occurred due to a broken exhaust pipe on a hot water heater.

The 11 victims were taken to three different hospitals, including St. Elizabeth Hospital, where two people were treated in a hyperbaric chamber.

"Obviously, when this many people are affected the outcome can be very serious," said New London Family Medical Center emergency room supervisor Dave Rae, as reported by the news source. "I don’t know if there were detectors in this building, and if so whether they were working, but they are relatively cheap and life-saving."

All patients were released by Sunday evening, the report said.

Homeowners should routinely have their water heater, heating system and any other burning equipment serviced by a professional technician, as these appliances are often causes of gas leaks. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 170 people die from carbon monoxide exposure each year.

A water main burst at a treatment plant in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, causing extensive flooding at three surrounding homes.

According to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, a 27-inch pipe at the Pierce Burch Treatment Plant ruptured at about 9:45 a.m., resulting in a scary scene for a few unlucky homeowners.

"I was working at my computer and looked out the door and saw water coming 90 miles per hour down the hill," said resident Caroll Cash, as reported by the news source.

Cash noted that the incident was the third time this year a water main break at the facility has caused at least minor flooding in her yard. The leak, which is still being investigated, caused 3 inches of water to fill almost all of Cash's home, the report said.

"You never know what's going to happen," Cash said. "I mean, it's nervewracking to me at this point."

According to a recent CNN report, 30 percent of water pipes in larger systems are 40 to 80 years old, resulting in 240,000 water main breaks in the U.S. per year. California, New York and Texas have the biggest needs for rebuilt infrastructure, the report said.

With the calendar approaching winter and the Northeastern United States having already experienced a snowstorm, it's important for homeowners to prevent their water pipes from freezing.

According to WBNG in Binghamton, New York, plumbing experts advise residents to wrap pipes in insulation foam, especially those closest to outside walls. Homeowners should also refrain from turning down the heat at night, which can put pipes in danger of freezing to the point where breakage and a major leak are possible.

"They could break, they'll freeze to the point where it will actually split the pipe wide open and when they do thaw out you'll have water spraying all over the place and have a major leak in the house," said Ron Fancher, a local plumbing expert, as reported by the news source.

The Northeastern states received an earlier-than-usual snowstorm this past weekend, with some areas getting more than a foot of precipitation. With the storm arriving before many residents are normally accustomed to, some homes may not have been properly winterized yet.

The Weather Channel says pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are most exposed to freezing, while any areas with cracks or holes allowing cold air inside is at risk.

Homeowners who suspect their pipes have froze should contact a leak detection professional.