Deseret News | Roommates lucky to survive CO poisoning

Reader comments
Roommates lucky to survive CO poisoning

Clarification | 7:29 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

This story infers that a "gas leak" caused the C02 poisoning.

C02 (carbon monoxide) is a product of combustion, NOT a gas leak.

Anonymous | 8:05 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

I wouldn't trust that guy helping them in the picture... If you look closely, you'll notice that he's wearing a Utes hat!!

Re: Clarification | 8:23 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

CO2 is carbon dioxide, not carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide is indeed a product of combustion, but nothing in the article contradicts that. The article indicates "carbon monoxide" poisoning.

The article stands as correct.

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 8:23 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

This has been happening for years up and down the Wasatch Front with the buildings' owners not be held accountable.

Mister | 8:27 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

As I understand it, Carbon Monoxide has long term effects. Not something which goes away when normal breathing is resumed. These effects can last for years even if there are no symptoms.

Rob | 8:57 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

My sisters neighbor in West Jordan died two weeks ago of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Former Navy guy | 9:04 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

To the author:

In a hyperbaric chamber the pressure is INCREASED as if they were going under water. Ambient pressure increases as we descend, either in water or in air, and decreases as we ascend.

A hyperbaric chamber increases pressure. A hypobaric chamber, or altitude chamber, decreases pressure simulating ascent to high altitude.

Anon. | 9:52 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

So, not all the details are entirely correct, but the story is fairly close. The girls are doing pretty good, and their landlady is doing what she can to help. The faulty ductwork has already been replaced and CO detectors have been installed. That's a lot more than can be said of many landlords in Provo.

Anonymous | 10:54 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

haha @ the ute hat comment haha

Laren Riedler | 11:47 p.m. Oct. 30, 2009

As one of the six poisoned women, I'd like to thank our landlady for her timely response in fixing everything, explaining exactly what went wrong and what measures were being taken to prevent future troubles, and for her personal attention to each of us. For once, we have a landlady who actually cares enough to make it right, as best she can.
Also, my heartfelt thanks to the EMTs, paramedics, nurses, techs, doctors, and other hospital staff for their quick thinking and kindly professional care. Thank you, again and again; you saved our lives. You also did your best to make a truly terrifying situation far more managable, which has helped us a great deal in the process of coping with what happened - and what might have.
Lastly, I want to encourage all who read this to install CO detectors on EVERY level of your home, and test them monthly. This is more important than you could ever guess. They cost as little as $15 and can save your life from something there is no way to detect otherwise until you're already sick. Thanks much for reading.

How Blessed | 5:55 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

How blessed they are to be alive. There are still good people wearing Ute hats.

a BYU mom | 6:56 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

my daughter had a similar thing happen a few years ago in her apartment at Liberty Square, but it was a gas leak. The managers were not willing to take any responsibility for her illness from it, and there were no detectors in the apartment. So parents, when sending your kids off to colllege spend the extra 15 bucks and send a detector with them. It could save their lives.

wet | 6:58 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Now is the time for all property owners to have CO detectors installed, but people being who they are, and many owners living out of the area, there needs to be new legislation passed requiring the installation of the detectors and annual inspections and repairs, if necessary, of heating systems.

swertu | 7:00 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Laren,

Glad you are still with us! Thanks for your wonderful letter. A visit to the station where paramedics and/or ambulance personnel responded would be a big boost to them. These folks never get a personal 'thank you' from anyone.

Ute Hat | 7:30 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Remeber, Utah has a medical school, BYU has firesides.

Good Idea | 7:51 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

"He warned against bringing gas-powered equipment into a house and leaving vehicles running in a garage."

Yeah, one or the other, but never both.

Willie | 9:14 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

It's time Provo slum lords be held accountable for this outrage. Ute hat should check his ventilation to see if his CO is over the limit.

Doug | 9:15 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Laren, thanks for posting and for your kind words of gratitude to those who helped you and your roommates. I will be buying a few CO detectors soon. So glad you all are safe.

KC | 9:19 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Very scary. Glad this story has a happy ending.

HW | 10:29 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

So glad these girls are doing well. How scary! Let this be a reminder for us all to do what we need to do to make sure our homes are safe. Kudos to the landlady for making it right so quickly.

longjohn | 10:49 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Once again a Ute is coming to save the day!

OldpuebloguyInWyo | 10:59 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Not a laughing matter for sure, let alone one to make light of. The girls are fortunate. My sister and husband both fell to this silent killer....and they were just beginning their retirement years. My sister never woke-up and Bob almost made it to the device, to shut-it off, but did not. Everyone should have sensors/alarms in the homes and make sure all furnaces are checked by professionals before lighting that pilot light, every year.

Mark Wight | 11:23 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Lauren You and your room-mates have the blessing of good medical help as well as a great land-lady. Room-mates helped each other to evaluate and react geting help. Utes and Cougars do care for each other (except in sporting events). I am going out to buy a detector alarm for our main floor.

Thank you Lauren | 11:43 a.m. Oct. 31, 2009

Your words made me cry. As I sat and read some of the childish comments and the bickering, there came this one from you. It was full of wisdom, maturity and goodness, it was such a light among some of the rude people who have to just dig at each other. This is not a school issue, it is not a religious issue, it is not a issue of if a landlord is bad or not. This is an issue of human lives and of working together to solve a problem. People, read her message, she is saying to get CO detectors. It is not a rivalry, did you not read of people who did die from this. Thanks Lauren to take the time and try to save the life of someone here that will read your wise words. You have a gift, I hope that you will use this experience to be a spokes person about having CO detectors. And to you and your room mates, good luck as your bodies recover from this.

pops - "U" Hat | 1:37 p.m. Oct. 31, 2009

He really is a BYU fan, but has his UofU halloween costume on.

Anonymous | 1:55 p.m. Oct. 31, 2009

This happened to me at Weber State over 30 years ago. One roomate had been at work and when she came home in the later afternoon, she realized something was very wrong in that all her roomates were sleeping and couldn't be roused easily that time of day. First and foremost, thank goodness for Divine intervention that saves lives, when it is His will. Secondly, thanks to people and technology that help save these lives. So grateful you're all okay.

Nana | 2:51 p.m. Oct. 31, 2009

So glad everyone is alive and doing well. As for the Ute Hat.....He's priceless!

Mom of 4 | 7:49 a.m. Nov. 2, 2009

This happened to me at BYU in the 70's. All 6 of us in the apartment were suffering from CO exposure when the pilot light went out on our furnace. Friends took us to the Student Health Center on campus where we were informed by the staff there that we had "sympathetic illness". This is because I got sick first, then as my roommates got up- they each in turn got sick- in sympathy to my illness. It was because of friends who came over (the same ones who took us to the Health Center) who discovered the gas leak and got it taken care of. Of course there were no CO detectors in those days. We were all ok- fortunately- but it certainly wasn't because of the "health care" we received at the BYU Student Health Center. (Sympathetic illness- give me a break!)

X-ARMYMAN | 7:52 a.m. Nov. 2, 2009

It happened to me in Korea while in the Army in 1965. My wife and I and my Army buddy and his wife were living in a side-by-side attached building. Solid coal blocks were placed in the floor from outside for heat. We did not know there were cracks in the floors. I woke up and while laying there felt dizzy. I tried to sit up and fell back. Something was wrong. I rolled out of bed and cralled outside. I immediately noticed the change in air. After a minute, I knew it was gas. I went back in, dragged my wife off the bed and outside. After a few minutes, we both felt better. Then we thought of my friend and his wife. I knocked on the door, no answer. So I broked the window in the door, unlocked it, went in and dragged both of them out side. They finally came to. A few hours later in the morning we went into the base hospital for treatment. They said it was a close call. They did not have chambers back then. What a day!

Anonymous | 9:44 a.m. Nov. 2, 2009

This can be easily rectified by installing detectors. Students must live for the most part in BYU approved housing. BYU could easily make this a must(dectectors)or not give their seal of approval.
Of course most students would probably not check to see if batteries need to replacings.

Janet | 11:59 a.m. Nov. 2, 2009

Sure am glad my daughter is safe at home now and not in an old building there any more! Please make CO detectors mandatory in all buildings, BYU and UofU and any other college.

Mrs. Downhome America | 6:12 p.m. Nov. 2, 2009

This is a huge problem in Los Angeles, no way restricted to the Wasatch Front. Many homes here were built "between the wars" and have gas panels for heat. Any gas fueled heater or furnace (or other appliance) can give off CO from incomplete combustion. It is so dangerous because by the time you know you're in trouble, you often can't help yourself. Another sign of early or subclinical CO poisoning can be chronic, severe headaches, especially if you live near major traffic points or freeways. Your body perversely prefers CO to O2, and it makes your blood red and your cheeks just as pink as O2, so it's hard to see the effects of poisoning. A detector is a good start. Keeping your gas appliances in good working order with periodic maintenance is a must, too. Just knowing the signs and what to do, as we have seen, is a lifesaver. God bless you, ladies, you used your heads and saved all of your lives.

One concerned | 10:32 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

I understand that articulate young lady involved in this incident, Laren Riedler, whose comments were cited as being "full of wisdom, maturity and goodness", is diligently seeking employment. Anyone wanting a dedicated worker with rather obvious writing skills, could certainly do worse than hiring this young lady -- before any other malady can come that way!

Hyperactive Chamber Guy | 1:21 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Whatever this thing is.... so for those of you who just don't understand, here are a couple of pearls.

1. CO binds to hemoglobin 210-217 times stronger(depending on the text)than O2.
2. CO can cause irreversible deficits if untreated.
3. Add to that that O2 administered at ground level does little to displace CO from the receptor sites. Hyperbarics does in minutes what o2 without pressure can only do in hours and days. How long do you want to spend waiting and wondering what confusion and deficit will become permenant?
4. The Uof U hat is a character flaw that is being worked on daily by family and friends. We can only hope and pray that the BYU firesides will bring understanding and enlightenment...or we'll send him to the U Med center for brain removal.

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