Twenty-three people have died from asphyxiation since the start of the heating season. The data was released on Twitter by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. As added, 520 people were injured as a result of the effects of carbon monoxide on the body
The Fire Department tweeted that there have been 1,248 carbon monoxide incidents since the beginning of October last year. As a result of the effects of the carbon monoxide on the body, 520 people were injured, 23 people died.
Firefighters remind people of basic safety precautions, including not covering air vents, installing a carbon monoxide detector, and dressing appropriately for the weather and responding to those in need of help.
Carbon monoxide is an odourless and colourless gas. In the human respiratory system, it binds to haemoglobin 250 times faster than oxygen, blocking oxygen from entering the body. Symptoms of milder poisoning include headache and dizziness, weakness and nausea. The consequence of acute poisoning – at high concentrations of this gas – may be irreversible damage to the central nervous system, cardiopulmonary failure and death.
The gas is formed during the process of incomplete combustion of combustible materials, which occurs when there is insufficient oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere. It has strong toxic properties.