MENU
John Bayness and Christopher Adams probably died of carbon monoxide poisoning in not much more than 12 minutes inside a car wash here, an expert said.
And the two were probably “intoxicated” by the gas within minutes and couldn’t comprehend what was happening, said Tom Greiner, an Iowa State University Extension associate professor.
Greiner conducted tests at the Wonder Wash Car Wash Monday with the older-model sport utility vehicle the two victims were driving. The pair stopped at the car wash Friday on their way to Arizona for a vacation. Both of the bay’s doors were closed.
Because of the extremely high level of carbon monoxide produced by their vehicle, the pair probably didn’t experience any of the common symptoms associated with the poisoning — headache, drowsiness and nausea, Greiner said. They didn’t know they needed to get out, he said.
“It’s worse than being drunk on alcohol,” Greiner said.
Bayness, 23, and Adams, 20, were found by a car wash customer about 1:25 p.m. Friday. Officials found the ignition still in the on position.
Preliminary autopsy results showed they died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Fifteen hundred people die annually because of accidental CO exposure, and an additional 10,000 seek medical attention, the association says.
A similar incident to Friday’s claimed the life of Nolan Reetz of Jesup last December.
Here’s some information on CO, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission:
Breathing CO usually causes symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and weakness in healthy people. It also causes sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and disorientation. At very high levels, it causes loss of consciousness and death.
CO is colorless and odorless. This is particularly dangerous because people often don’t realize they are in trouble. Some of the symptoms are similar to the flu or other common illnesses.
Many CO problems occur in homes and businesses, but dangerous levels of CO can be prevented with proper appliance and equipment maintenance and installation.
Some common equipment that produces carbon monoxide includes automobiles, fuel-fired furnaces, gas water heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves, lawn mowers and snow blowers. Don’t run engines in the garage.
Detectors are available to help monitor levels of CO in buildings and should be installed on each floor, especially sleeping floors.
If a carbon monoxide problem is suspected, immediately open doors or windows to ventilate the house and get everyone outside for fresh air. Call the fire department of utility company.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from vehicles, Greiner said:
Make certain all vehicles are tuned up and running clean.
Check and repair exhaust system leaks.
When starting a car and leaving from the garage:
Never run engine in a garage, even if the garage door is open, except for driving in and out.
Make certain everyone is in the car and ready to leave.
