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18 people evaluated after ground-floor boiler causes carbon monoxide leak at OCMD hotel

By and Tyler Thrasher
Updated  August 2, 2025 12:35pm EDT
Ocean City
FOX 5 DC

The Brief

    • A total of 18 people were assessed following a carbon monoxide leak at the Ashore Hotel in Ocean City, MD, with four employees transported to the hospital in stable condition.
    • The source of the leak has been officially identified as a ground-floor boiler, which will remain offline until it undergoes necessary repairs and inspections.
    • The Ocean City Fire Department clarified that the "Mass Casualty Incident" designation used was a procedural term for managing multiple patients and did not indicate fatalities or severe injuries.

OCEAN CITY, Md. - A carbon monoxide leak at a hotel in Ocean City, Maryland, led to four employees being hospitalized and was officially traced to a ground-floor boiler, according to a new report from the Ocean City Fire Department.

What we know:

The incident began around 11:00 a.m. on Friday at the Ashore Resort and Beach Club, located in the 10100 block of Coastal Highway in Ocean City. 

A total of 18 people were assessed by medical personnel at the hotel after a carbon monoxide alarm was activated, with four employees transported to the hospital in stable condition.

The Ocean City Fire Marshal's Office has officially determined the source of the leak to be a boiler located on the ground floor of the building.

The boiler will remain offline until necessary repairs and third-party inspections are completed to ensure the system is safe to operate.

Dig deeper:

The Ocean City Fire Department addressed public confusion surrounding its "Mass Casualty Incident" (MCI) declaration. The term, which the department said some scanner and social media platforms reported on without context, is used strictly to describe situations where the number of patients temporarily exceeds the capacity of initial EMS resources.

"To be clear, there were zero fatalities," said Ryan Whittington, Community & Department Engagement Officer for the Ocean City Fire Department. "In Maryland, the term ‘Mass Casualty Incident’ is used purely to describe a situation where multiple patients require care beyond the capabilities of the initial EMS response. It does not imply deaths or critical injuries."

Ocean CityNews