LILLE, FRANCE - TWENTY-FOUR people were hospitalised on Monday for carbon monoxide poisoning after breathing the toxic fumes at a concert held in a church near the northern French city of Lille, emergency services said.

None of the 250 people attending the concert at the church in Phalempin lost consciousness, regional officials said. The 24 who showed symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as a headache and vomiting, were hospitalised.

The colourless and odourless yet highly toxic gas was apparently released due to a malfunction of the heating system, officials said. -- AFP