Solingen residents evacuated after AI‑triggered carbon‑monoxide scare

In the night of 3 August 2026, occupants of a multi‑family house on Neuenkamper Straße in Solingen reported dizziness and headaches. They consulted an artificial‑intelligence chatbot, which suggested a possible carbon‑monoxide (CO) poisoning. The residents called emergency services.

Firefighters and the municipal utility (Stadtwerke Solingen) performed on‑site measurements but initially found no CO in the air. A rescue‑service device later detected CO in the blood of one resident, prompting the evacuation of the entire building. All residents were tested and low levels of CO were found in each person's blood. As a precaution, the gas supply was shut off and the local chimney‑sweep was notified. One resident was allowed to return to her flat, while four were taken to the hospital for further examination. Despite using three different measurement devices, no CO was detected in the building itself.

The incident highlights the role of AI in prompting rapid medical assessment, while emergency responders followed standard protocols to ensure public safety.