MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County — Eighteen people attending a holiday family get-together at Judson Baptist Church, 3150 Alex-Bell Road, suffered carbon monoxide poisoning Thursday and were treated at area hospitals.

Joe McLean, deputy chief of the Miami Twp. Fire Department, said firefighters were called to the church at 4:04 p.m. after family members began to feel sick with nausea and headaches.

One of those attending had a background in maintenance and suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, McLean said. A check of the church, using carbon monoxide detectors, found high readings. Twelve were taken to Kettering Medical Center and six went to Sycamore Hospital, McLean said. All are expected to recover.

McLean said a faulty furnace is suspected of causing the problem, but further investigation is needed.

McLean said a carbon monoxide detector, if one had been in place, could have signaled the potentially deadly problem before it became serious.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7407 or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com.