Tragic deaths prompt a carbon monoxide warning

Tragic deaths prompt a carbon monoxide warning

This is a tragic story, but maybe it will help save lives.

A Denver couple and their two young children died of carbon monoxide poisoning over the Thanksgiving holiday. They were staying in a newly built Aspen vacation home. Although the home is valued at $9 million, it appears that a pipe in the heating and snow melt system may have been poorly installed.

According to ABC News, investigators are still not certain if the house was equipped with a carbon monoxide detector.

This sad misfortune reminded me of an important detail I came across last year in a press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Everyone knows that batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced two times each year, but every now and then the devices need replacing too.

CPSC officials note that alarm sensors may degrade and lose effectiveness over time, so it’s important to replace warning devices every five years.

Please share this safety tip with friends and family – especially those who are elderly and might need help installing new alarms.

And I wouldn’t have thought to do this before reading about the Colorado tragedy, but the next time I’m on vacation, you can be sure I’ll check the premises to be sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed.

Source:
“Faulty Heating Connection Leads to Carbon Monoxide Death of Family” Sarah Netter, ABC News, 12/3/08, abcnews.go.com