CA – Serene Branson, CBS 13 -A mistake leads to a life-saving miracle for a Turlock family. A simple purchase helped the family escape a near disaster.
The Sanders family went to buy a smoke alarm, but accidentally bought a carbon monoxide detector. Little did they know, it would end up saving their lives.
Jason Sanders had no idea this device he bought by mistake would be the one thing that kept his family alive.
“I got home and I was a little discouraged it wasn’t a smoke detector my wife said to plug it in anyway, it ended up saving our lives,” he says.
With a newborn in the house and twin toddlers suffering from health problems related to their premature births, Jason and his wife Lisa decided to have their ducts cleaned. Turns out, the company didn’t properly reconnect a pipe back up to the furnace.
“What happened was the carbon monoxide built up and had no place to go,” says Kirk Summers of the Turlock Fire Department.
It went back into the ventilation system and filled their bedrooms.
“We woke up to a high pitch sound built up extremely high,” says Sanders.
Sleepy and disoriented the couple, the three infants and Lisa’s mother called 911, and were rushed to the hospital. The detector read 118 parts per million, Captiain Kurt Summers who responded to the call, said at 35 parts per million firefighters are required to wear protective gear.
“The inherent danger is it’s silent. You can’t see, taste or smell to know it’s there,” says Summers.
The sanders say they know they were minutes away from not making it. They say knowing other families lives can be saved by hearing their story will make them breathe easier.