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CO gas leads to evacuation in Chinatown

A restaurant and apartments in Chinatown were evacuated Sunday evening after high carbon monoxide readings were reproted, Philadelphia fire officials said.

A restaurant and apartments in Chinatown were evacuated Sunday evening after high carbon monoxide readings were reported, Philadelphia fire officials said.

The source of the colorless, odorless gas appeared to be a smoldering Peco Energy Co. underground transformer near the building at 915 Race St. A Peco spokesman would say only that the utility cut service to the area after a report of "smoking wires in a manhole."

Residents were later permitted to reenter the building.

The incident came one day after 14 people were injured, two critically, when carbon monoxide emitted by a generator in a Norristown rowhome reached lethal levels.

- Andrew Maykuth