LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Christmas Eve started with a "dangerous carbon monoxide issue affecting southern Indiana." 

The Clarksville Fire Department said at least four people were taken to the hospital Saturday morning after experiencing the effects of carbon monoxide in Clarksville.

Officials in New Albany said it had also responded to an unusual number of calls for carbon monoxide alarms sounding about 6 a.m.  

Roger Baylor said he woke up to the sound of a carbon monoxide detector, and at first, he thought it was just a low battery. But the detector was reading more than 50 parts per million.

With exposure to that much after one hour, Baylor and his wife could have experience nausea, headaches, drowsiness and vomiting. He decided to call 911. 

"One of the first things they told us was, 'well this is like the 7th one we've had this morning. This sort of thing happens very sparingly and this is the 7th or 8th one,'" Baylor said. 

Firefighters initially responded to a call of two Clarksville residents experiencing chest pains around 3 a.m. Saturday morning. The fire department received at least 30 calls and set up an emergency command center. 

Frogg Corpse tells WDRB he woke up Christmas Eve morning to Clarksville firefighters and police officers banging on his door at 6 a.m.

"If no one would've banged on my door I could have died in my sleep," Corpse said. 

He said officials told him the carbon monoxide levels were so high in his apartment building that there was a danger of an explosion. 

"I didn't have an option honestly to, to go or take time, so it was an abrupt one, swift, exact and there were no seconds to actually even gather thought or items. I mean they gave me a few seconds, and then essentially it was out," Corpse said.

As of noon Saturday, Clarksville emergency officials canceled the emergency status for the issue and returned to normal operations. This was decided after the number of calls related to carbon monoxide "dropped dramatically."

Clarksville and New Albany emergency officials are working with CenterPoint Energy to determine the problem. 

A spokesperson for CenterPoint sent WDRB a statement saying the natural gas system is operating as it should with no known issues affecting the towns. 

She also said that carbon monoxide can result from incomplete combustion, and proper venting associated with use of fuel-burning appliances is essential to ensure safe use.

Fire officials said this is a good reminder to have detectors in your home and make sure they are working. 

“We are also very concerned for residents who may not even have a carbon monoxide detector in their home,” Clarksville Fire Chief Brandon Skaggs said in a news release. “That’s why we are asking everyone in Clarksville to check on their neighbors to make sure they are aware of the issue, and that their CO detectors are operating correctly.”

Some symptoms caused by exposure to carbon monoxide include chest pains, headaches, fatigue, light-headaches, dizziness, nausea and unconsciousness.

If your home is impacted, the fire department will turn off the gas at the home and send residents to stay with family or friends.

The Clarksville Fire Department will continue to monitor the situation and could return to emergency operations, if needed.

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.