Geoff
05-12-2003, 12:34
Now that the clocks have gone back and the nights are "drawing in", one Holme Valley resident is urging local people to check all their heating appliances for safety.
Louise Baldock, a 38 year old Meltham resident whose fiance died in 1999 from carbon monoxide poisoning, wants to remind local people that such poisoning can be caused by any source of heat that uses fossil fuels.
Louise said "My fiance Michael Price was only 45 when he died from carbon monoxide poisoning in his Ludlow home after his flue was blocked with a fall.
Michael had a Parkray stove heater in his front room. Because of smokeless zone regulations he was burning smokeless bricks on the fire. He didnt know the flue was blocked of course and without a room full of smoke to alert him, he sat on, feeling worse and worse, more and more ill, believing he had a bad bout of flu. It took three days before it finally killed him.
Most people believe that carbon monoxide poisoning is only caused by faulty gas fires or boilers, and indeed they are often at fault. But any kind of fossil fuel that burns can cause this terrible poison if it does not have a clear and open passage to the open air. Now that people are firing up their boilers, turning on their gas fires and lighting the first open fire of winter, they need to be absolutely sure that they have followed all the safety guidelines. You must have your chimney swept at least once a year before you light up that fire. If like Michael you are in a smokeless zone and the fuel you are burning does not give off smoke, you will have no idea what danger you might be in.
Unfortunately carbon monoxide cannot be seen, tasted or smelt, it is a totally invisible deadly gas. Unfortunately symptoms are not dissimilar to flu; however vital clues may lie in a sense of disorientation and dizziness as well as sickness. If you or someone close to you is becoming sick and confused then it is probably a very good idea to turn off the fire, open the windows, leave the house and have a GP check you out. Sadly of course many people cuddle up on the sofa with a blanket when they feel ill. You couldnt do a worse thing with carbon monoxide.
Be safe this winter, dont light the fire or turn on the boiler until you have had an annual check.
ENDS
Louise Baldock, a 38 year old Meltham resident whose fiance died in 1999 from carbon monoxide poisoning, wants to remind local people that such poisoning can be caused by any source of heat that uses fossil fuels.
Louise said "My fiance Michael Price was only 45 when he died from carbon monoxide poisoning in his Ludlow home after his flue was blocked with a fall.
Michael had a Parkray stove heater in his front room. Because of smokeless zone regulations he was burning smokeless bricks on the fire. He didnt know the flue was blocked of course and without a room full of smoke to alert him, he sat on, feeling worse and worse, more and more ill, believing he had a bad bout of flu. It took three days before it finally killed him.
Most people believe that carbon monoxide poisoning is only caused by faulty gas fires or boilers, and indeed they are often at fault. But any kind of fossil fuel that burns can cause this terrible poison if it does not have a clear and open passage to the open air. Now that people are firing up their boilers, turning on their gas fires and lighting the first open fire of winter, they need to be absolutely sure that they have followed all the safety guidelines. You must have your chimney swept at least once a year before you light up that fire. If like Michael you are in a smokeless zone and the fuel you are burning does not give off smoke, you will have no idea what danger you might be in.
Unfortunately carbon monoxide cannot be seen, tasted or smelt, it is a totally invisible deadly gas. Unfortunately symptoms are not dissimilar to flu; however vital clues may lie in a sense of disorientation and dizziness as well as sickness. If you or someone close to you is becoming sick and confused then it is probably a very good idea to turn off the fire, open the windows, leave the house and have a GP check you out. Sadly of course many people cuddle up on the sofa with a blanket when they feel ill. You couldnt do a worse thing with carbon monoxide.
Be safe this winter, dont light the fire or turn on the boiler until you have had an annual check.
ENDS