The ever present threat of Carbon Monoxide (CO)
I know we always seem to go on about it and our advice page is always carrying our warnings on Carbon Monoxide poisoning but we have highlighted three cases this week that fortunately had happy endings but could each have been tales of terrible tragedy
Regular Gas Safety Checks
If you have not had your boiler and gas appliances checked please call us on 0800 1 123999. It could be so serious – make sure you have had a gas safety check
Californian Family Escape from there Apartment Home
Just two days ago 11th Feb 2010, a carbon monoxide leak sent a Californian couple along with their four children to the hospital, along with three fire-fighters who responded to the family’s late-night emergency call.
Mum was wakened by the crying of her 2 yearold daughter but when she went to see what the problem was she collapsed in the hallway. Dad woke up when he heard his wife collapse on the floor and called the emergency number about 11 p.m.
Emergency crews were treating the stricken woman when her son also passed out, The firefighters began to suspect that there was a gas leak in the house. They moved the family outside and an air test confirmed that there were high levels of carbon monoxide inside the appartment
Medics took the family and three of the fire fighters who complained of possible minor carbon monoxide exposure but none of the eight was believed to have life-threatening symptoms.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless and potentially deadly gas that had leaked from a propane stove in the family’s garage.
The family had used the appliance to cook a turkey earlier in the evening and had left only one small door open for ventilation. It was very fortunate for this family that one of the children woke up and started the whole emergency response but it could have been so different
Emergency Services save family of three in Ohio
On the same day in Harrison Township, Ohio, emergency services were called to a home early in the morning after a woman made a frantic call for help.
As soon as they arrived they realised that the situation for the mother and three children was critical.
They were considered to be very lucky to be alive at this point as experts discovered that the home was saturated to a deadly 195 parts per million of carbon monoxide
Carbon Monoxide Detectors important in any home
Yearly maintenance on your boiler the is key to staying safe. Carbon monoxide detectors are also important and this home did not have one. Authorities said the family was lucky.
27 Children and three Carers Poisoned by Carbon Monoxide in Pamplona
These incidents were just three days after 27 children and 3 carers at a nursery in Pamplona, Spain were taken to hospital suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning on Monday.
A defective heater may have been responsible for the poisoning of the children and carers in the town, said emergency services.
Most of those affected had suffered only mild poisoning, authorities said.