Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The winter season usually brings colds and flu. Recently, however, the cold weather has brought not just the usual maladies, but has caused the build up of carbon monoxide levels in a condo unit in the southeast. As the thick crust of ice covered the air vents of the building, carbon monoxide levels increased, causing the alarms to go off. Paramedics asked the tenants to stay in their vehicles or in the lobby of another building while fire-fighters ventilated the affected units. After 90 minutes, tenants were allowed to go back and no one needed medical help.


Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that is formed when materials containing carbon is burned. At home, common sources of carbon monoxide are non-electric heaters such as:

-- gas water heaters

-- kerosene heaters

-- stoves

-- charcoal grills

-- cigarette smoke

-- indoor tractor pulls

-- spray paints

-- solvents

-- degreasers

-- paint removers

Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause flu-like symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, and dizziness. But when the level of concentration is high, it can lead to brain damage and death.

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Written By Monch Bravante