REHOBOTH - Two people were hospitalized Tuesday suffering from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

Firefighters responded to 39 Martin St. about 5:52 p.m. after receiving a call from the emergency room at Charlton Memorial Hospital, Fall River.

The hospital had admitted a patient with symptoms of high levels of carbon monoxide poisoning, and learned another person was still in the home, the fire department said.

Firefighters Tuesday evening found the second person with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, who was transported by Rehoboth ambulance to Charlton Hospital, the department said.

Both victims remained hospitalized Tuesday night. Firefighters found extremely high readings of carbon monoxide in the home.

Wearing self-contained breathing apparatus, firefighters found the source of the gas, which was an improperly installed gas hot water heater, the fire department said. The gas and all utilities were shut off in the home, which was ventilated by firefighters.

Firefighters were at the scene near Route 118 until about 8 p.m.

Fire officials recommend residents make sure their homes have not only smoke detectors, but carbon monoxide detectors on each living level as required by law, and properly maintaining hot water heaters and furnaces.

Tuesday's incident was the latest in a string of such incidents in the area in recent months.

On July 14 in Norton, carbon monoxide levels in a West Main Street home were nearly five times higher than the safety threshold, forcing the residents and their dog to evacuate the house.

The home's detector alerted the occupants, a husband and wife and their son.

And, in North Attleboro in the early-morning hours on June 28, alert neighbors and public safety workers first on the scene were credited with saving the lives of a mother and her two daughters after their Kelley Boulevard home filled with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and cyanide while they slept.

The three occupants of the home were taken to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro for evaluation.

The fumes were traced to a backfiring oil burner, fire officials said. STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.