A 38-year-old resident of a block of flats in Siemianowice Śląskie called for help to her 14-year-old daughter, who fainted on Sunday evening. Firefighters found the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air exceeded. The ambulance – in addition to the teenager – also took her mother and three siblings aged from one to nine to the hospital. According to the services, the cause of the accident was most likely a leak in the gas water heater.
On Sunday, before 9 p.m., the services were called to an apartment in Siemianowice Śląskie, in a multi-family, four-story building on Zielona Street.
– The call came from the mother of a 14-year-old girl, the woman reported seizures and lack of contact with her daughter – says Sebastian Karpiński, spokesman for the State Fire Service in Siemianowice Śląskie.
She adds that the 14-year-old regained consciousness while still in the apartment. The ambulance took her to the hospital. According to Karpiński, carbon monoxide poisoning was found in all household members: a 38-year-old mother and children aged one, four and nine.
How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning?RCB
The allowed value is 35 ppm. There were 240 in the apartment
– Testing the concentration of carbon monoxide with our devices gave a result of 240 ppm – emphasizes Karpiński. While the permissible value harmless to human health is 35 ppm.
The cause of the carbon monoxide escaping was probably a leak in the water heater – a gas heater. The concentration was rising to dangerous levels due to the windows being too tight.
Karpiński reminds about the installation of carbon monoxide detectors, especially in old buildings. A small device can save our lives.
Carbon monoxide sensorTVN24
Firefighters call it the “silent killer.” Symptoms of poisoning, such as headaches and nausea, appear already at a concentration of 100 ppm, but they can be ignored, confusing with other diseases.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoningKG PSP
Firefighters checked the concentration of carbon monoxide in the staircase of the building on Zielona Street and in all apartments in the vertical. There was no reason to evacuate the residents.
Main photo source: Shutterstock