After a family of five died yesterday from carbon monoxide poisoning, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reissued its warning about the hazard of carbon monoxide (CO). The Silver Spring, Md., family apparently died when a car running in an attached garage filled their home with deadly CO.
CPSC Chairman Ann Brown said, "CO detectors save lives. This family could be alive today if their house had been equipped with CO detectors." CO poisoning from the use of fuel burning appliances kills at least 200 people each year and sends more than 5,000 to hospital emergency rooms for treatment. Others die from CO produced while burning charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent. Still others die from CO produced by cars unintentionally left running in attached garages.
CO is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel. The initial symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu, and include dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea and irregular breathing. High level exposure to CO can cause death.
"CPSC recommends that consumers have their furnaces, water heaters, and other fuel-burning appliances inspected yearly by a qualified professional," Brown said. "And every home should have at least one CO detector that meets the requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories standard."
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
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