After this festive weekend, around ten people living in Haute-Savoie and Ardèche came close to death after being poisoned by this undetectable gas.
- In Annecy, six adults were poisoned by carbon monoxide after a gas boiler in a home “malfunctioned”.
- In the village of Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay, eleven people were also affected and four of them “were hospitalized, following nausea and headaches”.
- To limit the risk of poisoning from this invisible gas, it is recommended to adopt simple actions, such as ventilating your home or not blocking air inlets and outlets.
It is the leading cause of accidental death from toxic substances in France. Carbon monoxide is a painless and colorless gas, which diffuses very quickly into the environment. The latter is very toxic and potentially fatal, because once inhaled, it enters the blood and takes the place of oxygen. This gas results from improper use of heating appliances, more precisely from incomplete combustion (of coal, wood, natural gas, oil, butane, propane), or from a lack of ventilation in a closed room. Each year, carbon monoxide is responsible for around 1,300 poisoning episodes, the risks of which increase in winter, and around a hundred deaths in France.
8 people with carbon monoxide poisoning were hospitalized
The day after Christmas, 17 people suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. In Haute-Savoie, more precisely, in Annecy, six adults were affected after the “malfunction” of a gas boiler in a home. According to The Dauphiné Libéré, emergency services intervened in Annecy and the evacuation took place on the evening of Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 December. Three of the patients were hospitalized at the Geneva hospital center and another individual was transported to the Annecy University Hospital.
A similar situation occurred in Ardèche. “Yesterday evening, 11 people were victims of carbon monoxide poisoning in Ardèche. Treated by firefighters, 4 of them were hospitalized, following nausea and headaches,” reported the prefect of the department on Twitter. In detail, it was residents of the village of Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay who suffered due to an accident that occurred when the victims were gathered in a garage. According to the newspaper France Blue, “the carbon monoxide would have been produced by a defective gas stove.”
Carbon monoxide poisoning: how does it manifest?
According to health authorities, this poisoning results in headaches, dizziness, vomiting and nausea, significant fatigue as well as a feeling of muscle weakness. Other symptoms, such as dyspnea, visual disturbances, behavioral disturbances or even convulsions, may occur. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause lifelong consequences, leading to coma and death within minutes. So, we must act quickly. “If poisoning is suspected, immediately ventilate the premises, switch off combustion appliances if possible, evacuate the premises and call for help by dialing 15, 18 or 112 (and 114 for the hearing impaired)”, noted the Minister of Health.
Carbon monoxide: behaviors to adopt to limit the risks
In order to avoid poisoning in your home, you should:
- Systematically have heating and hot water production installations, as well as smoke ducts, checked and maintained by a qualified professional before winter.
- Ventilate the rooms of your apartment or house for at least 10 minutes a day, even if it is cold.
- Do not block the air inlets and outlets.
- Maintain a ventilation system in good working order.
- Follow the instructions for using combustion appliances indicated by the manufacturer.
