Sioux City, IA – Three people in Sioux City were taken to the hospital after being overcome by carbon monoxide Monday.
Fire captain Ryan Collins says the three were in a home that is slate for demolition and we using a gas powered generated to run heaters. The fumes from that generator were the cause of that carbon monoxide, Collins says.
The conditions and names of the three have not been released. Collins says everyone should be aware of the dangers of creating carbon monoxide in an enclosed area.
You should not use generators, shouldnt use any gas-fueled appliances inside the home that are not properly ventilated, especially for supplemental heat, according to Collins, so camping stoves, charcoal grills we cant use those things inside a structure simply because of that carbon monoxide hazard.
Collins says carbon monoxide can quickly become deadly. Carbon monoxide is particularly dangerous simply because we cant smell it, we cant see it, you cant taste it. The symptoms present themselves with a headache, flu-like symptoms, nausea, dizziness that sort of thing, Collins says. If folks believe that they are possibly suffering from carbon monoxide call 911 and remove yourself from that structure as soon as you can. We strongly urge everyone to have a working carbon monoxide alarm inside their home.
Collins says there were not carbon monoxide detectors in this home since it was tagged for demolition.