Outages lead to 2 CO poisoning incidents

Power outages in the wake of Friday's heavy snowstorm led to two separate incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning in the Salt Lake Valley Saturday.

Salt Lake City fire crews were called to a house in the 1400 West block of American Avenue (985 South) after a family brought a charcoal barbecue grill into the house for heat.

Scott Freitag, Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman, said a 31-year-old mother and her two children, ages 2 and 4, were taken to area hospitals. The mother told firefighters they had been without power since Friday and were cold.

Three fire department paramedic units, one EMT unit and three ambulances responded after the woman's sister called 911 to report her sister wasn't feeling well. Fire crews found the 4-year-old unconscious and not breathing. The mother and the 2-year-old were conscious and breathing but feeling ill.

Firefighters resuscitated the 4-year-old. The mother was taken in fair condition to a local hospital. The 2-year-old was taken in fair condition and the 4-year-old in critical condition to Primary Children's Hospital.

Crews measured the carbon monoxide at 150 parts per million.

In another incident Saturday, Salt Lake County Fire Capt. Jay Ziolkowski said a man in the Olympus Cove area was running a generator inside his home when his adult daughter found him unconscious.

Crews measured the carbon monoxide in the home at 800 parts per million. By comparison, Ziolkowski said, firefighting crews' policy calls for them to use oxygen tanks when carbon monoxide reaches 35 parts per million at the scene of a fire.

The unconscious man was taken to an area hospital, where he will be treated to remove the carbon monoxide from his blood. Ziolkowski said he did not know the man's age, his condition or to which hospital he was transported.

Carbon monoxide binds to the hemoglobin in red blood cells much more readily than does oxygen, making it nearly impossible for the body to get the oxygen it needs, Ziolkowski said.

It is colorless and odorless and can cause flulike symptoms, including nausea, lightheadedness, headache, blurred vision and a feeling of weakness. Long-term exposure can cause permanent brain damage.

Ziolkowski said generators should never be used inside — not even in basements. He recommended using electric heaters, gas fireplaces or traditional fireplaces for heat whenever possible. When propane or kerosene heaters must be used, Ziolkowski said, proper ventilation is vital. This can be achieved by cracking a window an inch or two near the heater.

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