The Serenity Apartment Complex recently had a spate of its residents blacking out and waking up in strange places with no idea how they got there. Over the last two weeks, 19 of the 60 residents experienced these unexplained blackouts. Following reports of a hissing sound near one of the ventilation shafts in the basement, an investigation by the Emerson Valley Gas & Electric Company discovered that a gas pipe was leaking directly into the ventilation system.

According to officials, this explains the uncharacteristic behavior, bouts of nausea, dizziness, and memory loss suffered by the residents. EVG&E spokesperson Ralph Kaplan was quick to point out that the cause of the leak was due to poor maintenance by the building’s owner, and not a failure of EVG&E safety protocols.

“We’ve seen this before in old buildings that upgraded their HVAC systems without the proper renovations being done first,” Mr. Kaplan said. “Sometimes it happens because of construction, and other times the owners don’t pay enough attention to maintaining their pipes and wiring.”

The 19 residents who were affected by the gas leak were sent to St. Benedict’s Hospital for a battery of tests to make sure there was no permanent damage. Dr. Fiona Bridges was happy to report that every single person was given a clean bill of health.

“I know when you hear that someone’s been breathing in toxic fumes for an extended period of time, you assume the worst,” she told the Gazette. “But none of the affected residents were inhaling the gas directly, so they were only exposed to it at relatively low levels. A couple weeks of rest and plenty of fluids should be enough to clear out any lingering symptoms.”

-Quinn Paxton, Acting Editor-in-Chief, Emerson Valley Gazette