“‘This morning one of our officers was on patrol…He noticed a car backed up against the fence, running.
We were informed that they had car issues with a muffler, so that’s eventually what lead to the carbon monoxide leaking inside of the vehicle while they were sitting there…’”
Officers learned the man was visiting family at the home, but was not allowed to bring his dog inside the house. Family members said the man would normally open the garage door.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs Mountain Metro Transit bus drivers are raising concerns to KRDO13 Investigates about their safety after a driver passed out on the floor of his bus during a medical emergency.
Driver Gary Turks believes the medical emergency was connected to carbon monoxide poisoning after bloodwork from the hospital showed high levels of the gas in his blood that night.
On November 8, Turks said he complained to multiple supervisors about smelling fumes on two buses he drove that day. He tells KRDO13 Investigates he was told he could either drive the buses or go home without pay.
KRDO13 Investigates obtained video from inside the bus, showing Turks driving during his ten-hour shift, even as multiple passengers also noticed the strong smell.
“It smells like lighter fluid or something right around here,” said a passenger on one of his last routes.
Turks said he doesn’t remember finishing his last route or dropping passengers off. Video shows him driving in the middle of the road and calling dispatch to say he was lost and didn’t know where he was. He eventually comes to a stop at the side of the road and slumps over the steering wheel before throwing up on the floor of his bus.
The video shows him trying to leave his seat without realizing he is still buckled in. He said he started to hallucinate, thinking he had crashed the bus and killed his passengers. Once he figures out how to leave the bus, he walks outside, looking for his passengers.
“I vaguely remember seeing the bus flipped over on its side and watching these tires spin,” Turks said. “That’s how bad I was hallucinating. I remember crying for the passengers. I couldn’t find them. I think that’s probably the most gratifying part, that I didn’t kill anybody.”
He eventually makes his way back to the bus and passes out on the floor for more than 15 minutes before a supervisor arrives.
“You okay? What’s going on?” Said the supervisor. “I told him about the fumes,” Turks is heard mumbling on the video. “The fumes? Gotcha, gotcha,” the supervisor responded.
Turks was then taken to the hospital, where he says doctors told him they found high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood. According to hospital documents, the tests show he had a value of 5.3 on a range of 0 to 5.
According to Mountain Metro, drivers are not city employees but contracted through a company named TransDev. Mountain Metro also tells KRDO13 Investigates the maintenance of their buses is also contracted out to TransDev.
“The feeling around work is, especially with our supervisors, that our drivers are crying over non-issues,” Turks said. “But these are very big issues.”
KRDO13 Investigates reached out to TransDev by phone and email about the concerns but we never heard back.
“It could have killed him and it could have killed a passenger,” said Courtney Turks, Garry’s wife and also a Metro bus driver. “He could have killed somebody just crossing the street. We almost lost him. He’s a father of five and we were married 20 years, and literally one night at work almost took him from us.”
The driver’s union president, Margie Sullivan, said multiple drivers have complained about leaking fumes on old buses for years. Turks claims the problem is only on old buses built from 2006 to 2009, but he said management at TransDev still forces drivers to use them.
“They need to take those old buses and rid them,” his wife said. “They need to be gone. You are putting your drivers in danger. You’re putting your passengers in danger every day.”
After this incident, Mountain Metro Transit tells KRDO13 Investigates it took the old buses out of service and tested them for carbon monoxide.
“The safety of our drivers and riders is a top priority for Mountain Metropolitan Transit (MMT). When we were notified of a driver illness possibly related to carbon monoxide (CO) leaks in our older buses, MMT pulled the buses that were of concern out of service. Third-party safety specialists were brought in to do thorough safety evaluations with a focus on carbon monoxide in the cabin of the buses, with multiple CO detection devices. CO levels detected in the buses were well below the World Health Organization acceptable standard of 9-10ppm for no more than 8 hours, with much higher exposures being required to pose a major health risk. The highest reading that was recorded on any of these buses was 1ppm.
There are a few other minor repairs such as coolant leaks that were found during the inspections that are being corrected; however, no major exhaust leaks were found. MMT is looking into the possibility of putting CO detection devices in these buses to make sure that levels continue to be safe for drivers and passengers.”
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Autopsies obtained by WECT reveal new details about how carbon monoxide poisoning killed three marines found dead in a car in Pender County earlier this year.
Tanner J. Kaltenberg, Merax C. Dockery and Ivan R. Garcia were found on Sunday, July 23, at the Speedway in Hampstead.
Per the autopsies, there was no obvious sign of suicide, foul play or drug use.
“The car was noted to be “lowered” and it was noted that the exhaust pipes were not connected and were rusted. It appeared that exhaust from the vehicle would have been released under the passenger cabin of the vehicle and not at the rear bumper. The vehicles [sic] key was noted to be in the on position. It was also determined the air conditioning was on at the time fuel ran out,” Garcia’s autopsy states.
The autopsy also notes that gas station footage showed the vehicle parked at the Speedway at 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, and “no one got in or out of the vehicle for the duration.”
CLOSE CALL: This week we responded to a family of four experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – dizziness, nausea, and headaches. It was discovered that they had left their car running in the garage, causing a slow carbon monoxide leak into the home. Fortunately, all are now stable, but the situation could have been far graver.
Important reminder: Carbon monoxide (or CO for short) is a serious threat and can cause serious illness and even death. CO is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and highly toxic. Ensure your home is equipped with a functioning CO detector to safeguard against potential risks.
“Thomas Midkiff died in the early morning hours of Nov. 8 due to carbon monoxide poisoning in the Bass Pro parking lot in Denham Springs…His parents found him in his car around 3:15 a.m…”
The cause of death for two 17-year-old students has been determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Oklahoma state medical examiner.
Kadence Brown and Jacob Lara were both 17 years old, and their families say the two were friends and athletes. On Sunday night, their families received the awful news after Tulsa Police were called to a parking lot near 21st Street and Yale Avenue where the teens were seen unresponsive in a car.
When the two didn’t show up to work Friday, police responded to their home for a welfare check and firefighters found the home was filled with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
The Kobins did have a carbon monoxide detector that went off, but the couple couldn’t hear it.
Katie Kobin suffered damage to her heart from the carbon monoxide exposure. Family told FOX4 she’s fighting for her life, but she is awake and they remain optimistic.
Now, Lenexa police have confirmed the source of the carbon monoxide came from a car that was left running inside the garage.
“Carbon monoxide is considered the silent killer. It’s colorless; it’s odorless,” Butch Diekemper, an assistant chief of the Lenexa Fire Department, told FOX4 on Monday.
“I would encourage everybody to purchase a carbon monoxide detector, get it in your home immediately. Your family is worth that much.”
The EPA said half of all unintentional carbon monoxide deaths could be prevented by an alarm, but fewer than a third of all homes have them. A basic carbon monoxide detector will only cost about $15.
Have a carbon monoxide detector on every level where someone sleeps.
Any levels above 35 parts per million need immediate attention.
Never have your car running while the garage is closed – and pull it out when you start it.
Have all home appliances checked annually.
Symptoms include headache, dizziness and vomiting.
A 2019 report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that more than half of all deaths from carbon monoxide happen in the colder months, November through February.
Despite local law enforcement saying the investigation was complete, NCIS told Military.com it “continues to work closely with the Pender County Sheriff’s Office to fully investigate this matter.”
“As of this morning a total of 56 patients attended ULHT sites with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in relation to this incident. One patient remains in hospital.”
“Three U.S. Marines found unresponsive in a car at a North Carolina gas station died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the local sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Deputies from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office found the three men Sunday morning in a privately owned Lexus sedan parked outside a Speedway gas station in the coastal community of Hampstead. Autopsies performed Wednesday by the North Carolina medical examiner’s office determined that all three deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the sheriff’s office.”
A feel good success story from one of our programs and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms (long post, but please read it all if you have time)…
On Friday night our crews were dispatched to a home in the area of Lafayette Street for smoke/carbon monoxide alarms sounding. They were met by an elderly resident who said she went to bed and was awoken by the alarms. Crews entered the residence with our explosive gas meter (this meter detects levels of oxygen, explosive gas, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide). They immediately got readings of carbon monoxide and lowered levels of oxygen in the home. Crews backed out and donned SCBA’s. Readings of carbon monoxide in the home were around 600 parts per million (it should be 0, acceptable levels are below 9 parts per million in a home). Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, order less, colorless byproduct of combustion. After a thorough investigation, it was found that the resident mistakenly left her car running in a closed garage, likely for at least 4 hours. Liberty utilities was called to the scene as a precaution, extra firefighters were called into the station due to extensive time on scene, and the home was vented with a battery powered ppv fan until there were 0 parts per million of carbon monoxide in the home. The resident was transported by our rescue to a local hospital because of slight confusion and having detectable levels of carbon monoxide in there system. If the resident had not been alerted by the properly working smoke/carbon monoxide alarms they would have passed away within hours (likely an hour).
We have a program called “Somerset Cares”. In this program we go out to Somerset homes to do safety assessments and install smoke/carbon monoxide alarms. We recently went to this home for the “Somerset Cares” program and installed the smoke/carbon monoxide alarms that saved the residents life! A testament to the success in one of the many programs we offer and the importance of properly working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
“You worry about things like a car accident. You know, drinking and driving, something like that. You don’t think about your child going to their friend’s house and dying of carbon monoxide poisoning…”
Jodi Semonell says her son 19-year-old Cole Oban was at a friend, Thomas Coleman’s house, when both boys died along with Thomas’ dad David Coleman and their family dog.
“One was laying on the floor pretty much unconscious at that point, and then one more, kind of in the seats slumped over…Not really talking or moving.”
“…after clearing the scene, firefighters were called back on a report of (another) employee not feeling well. That’s when they detected a dangerous gas…four firefighters and three police officers were also sent to the hospital for evaluation…the deadly gas is odorless, and the only way to prevent such incidents is to install detectors at home and business.”
1/27/23, 1709hrs. Rescue Squad 9 overheard a medical call going out in the Township for the report of an Unconscious Patient. Due to the primary ambulance service being on another call, the Rescue Squad responded with 6 personnel. On arrival they located 1 patient unconscious in a closed garage.
After further investigation they realized the car that was being worked on was still running. Crews metered the garage after donning SCBA and had over 1000PPM of Carbon Monoxide in the garage. E9-1 w/4 added onto the call and assisted with ventilation and metering the entire structure. The patient was transported to the local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“The probe covered nearly 1.5 million Explorers from the 2011 to 2017 model years and involved complaints of sickness and crashes that involved three deaths and alleged there were 657 injuries. Many complaints came from police departments that used Explorer Police Interceptors as patrol vehicles.”
“Congress’ ruling on the issue came in the November 2021 passage of the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” The period of time that vehicles would be allowed to idle without automatically shutting off will be up to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg “as necessary to prevent, to the maximum extent practicable, carbon monoxide poisoning,” according to the law.”
“According to the complaint, Brumfield purchased a 2003 Saturn Ion on Feb. 28 from King Auto Sales in Cahokia. A few weeks later at 8:30 a.m. on March 11, Brumfield alleges police officers responded to a wellness check when the Ion was parked on Lincoln Ave. in St. Louis. First responders allegedly arrived on scene to find the Ion running idle with Brumfield and her three minor children unresponsive in the vehicle.”
“Kellye Canty had gotten a used car about a year ago with rear-end damage. She and DeMarray thought it was only cosmetic. It turns out the exhaust system was damaged and was spewing fumes into the car.”
A followup story on the incident response to a family of 4 suffering CO poisoning in their home during last year’s ice storm in Texas…
“‘…this isn’t about an individual — it’s about a systemwide practice…if you’ve discovered this incident, and it probably isn’t the only one that they have, what are you going to do to prevent it from happening in the future?’”
“Fire officials said Friday they had no knowledge of carbon monoxide detectors going off that evening, but that doesn’t mean the facility doesn’t have them.
In addition, Fire Marshal Brock Weliver pointed out the facility, with a “big, wide open space, isn’t necessarily required” to have detectors to comply with the International Fire Code.
Fire officials had no guess as to how long people had been exposed, a major factor in determining health risk.“
“Levels as high as 314 parts per million were detected inside the Hippodrome…ground floor level was 182, and a reading of 232 ppm was found in the women’s bathroom.
The first call to the scene…came for an unconscious person at 9:05 p.m.
…emergency personnel are on standby for such an event, but are not inspecting for hazards like a gas.
…Asked about who has the responsibility of ensuring a safe environment, (fire chief) said the event sponsor or the building owner.”
“During the investigation, we found that the car was missing quite a few of the components of the exhaust system…which (may have) contributed to the carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“Clare Castleman, a tenant at The Palladian at Fairhope, called maintenance after one of her alarms activated after running errands on March 25, 2019.
Maintenance determined a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector was the source of the alarm and then removed all the detectors from Castleman’s unit.
Hours later, Castleman died after being found unresponsive in her apartment.“
“Family members said the two men, ages 20 and 25, went out into the garage around 7 p.m. to listen to music…they had a vehicle running in the garage while they were listening to music.”
“No one told him that another driver, Sandeep Brar, was found dead in the taxi less than 24 hours before, the court judgment read. The taxi was not inspected afterwards.
Mr Shahid was later found unconscious in the taxi, parked in a rank outside Crown casino. He had suffered a heart attack, hypoxia and an acquired brain injury.”
“…Cody Ware was forced to retire from the race through no fault of his own. Reports emerged that the driver was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning and was close to blacking out.”
“Following a 911 call about a family that had fainted, first responders arrived at the house and knocked on the door. No one answered, so they left. Inside, an entire family was being poisoned by carbon monoxide.”
“…included in the $1 trillion infrastructure bill was a little-publicized provision (SCOPE ACT), tasking the federal government to finalize a rule that requires automakers to automatically shut off keyless vehicles after idling for a certain period of time.”
“In a landmark ruling in December 2020, coroner Philip Barlow ruled that Ella was the first person in the UK – and likely the world – to have air pollution listed as a cause of death… Ella grew up near one of London’s busiest roads, where air quality frequently fell below UK standards and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines…”
“A Texas mother and her two teenage daughters needed medical treatment after they were found sleeping in a running car in a garage… trying to escape the heat by running the car’s air conditioning.”
Milton, GA – “…a car accidentally left running in high school teacher Patricia Mann’s garage sent the dangerous, odorless gas into her townhome and those around her…”
“The daughter told firefighters she thinks her mom accidentally hit the key fob on her new car in the garage and carbon monoxide built up or she accidentally left it running when she got home around 6:30 p.m. in the evening.“
“New technology has led to quieter engines and keyless ignitions in cars. But at what cost?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed a rule in 2011 to address carbon monoxide concerns stemming from keyless cars running unintentionally.
It went nowhere.
Instead, a page on NHTSA’s website warns about leaving keyless cars running without the fob inside.
A bill filed last year in Congress – the PARK IT Act – would require regulators to finalize rules for automatic shut-off systems, but the bill never made it out of committee.”
Mesa, AZ – “Two family members were inside a garage hanging out while a car was running Saturday night and experienced carbon monoxide poisoning, one of them becoming critically ill…”
Hoping these people are going to be okay. Severe CO poisoning can happen quickly…an important reminder to never run your car inside your garage (even with the door open) and to have CO alarms on every level of your home, especially near where you sleep.
“A Ford Explorer carbon monoxide lawsuit has been dismissed after Washington police officers failed to convince the judge that multiple medical conditions were all caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“Susan C. Livingston turned her grief over her parents’ (Sherry Penney and James Livingston) deaths last May into advocacy by working with longtime friend and state Rep. Lori Ehrlich to push for legislation mandating engine shutoff software for keyless ignition vehicles.”
Toledo, OR – This woman is lucky to be alive after leaving her keyless ignition vehicle running in her garage. Another example of why it’s so important to have CO alarms in your home…one on every level and near all sleeping areas.
“…with the advances in technology, there’s no reason for every one of these cars and trucks to go out there with a sensor in the cockpit that will alert the driver and send a signal to NASCAR when carbon monoxide levels get too high…”
This is an update to story of Sarasota, FL, couple found dead in home…source of CO determined to be a vehicle left running in attached garage…CO ALARMS SAVE LIVES – do you have them to protect you in your home?
“Martin knew to track down his friend so he drove to his house and found his car, a 2013 Ford Interceptor.
‘I found him unresponsive in his cruiser,’ Martins says. ‘I pulled him out of his cruiser and tried to stimulate his chest.’
Officer Biddy suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning.
There are 400 cars in the fleet similar to the one that Officer Biddy was sitting in. The Prince George’s County police Department calls the scare an isolated incident.
“A group of quick-thinking good Samaritans helped rescue children apparently suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after their truck got stuck in a mud hole near a Florida swimming basin…”
“Ashley could not find her wall plug-in charger because it had ended up in the washing machine, wrapped inside her comforter. So she decided to use a vehicle charger while sitting in the front seat of my husband’s Honda Ridgeline truck. It was parked in our garage…”
CO can kill within minutes. CO alarms can prevent death and injury in many environments, but there are situations such as this one where knowledge and awareness are the only ways to prevent harm.
“A catalytic converter would slow the exhaust getting out of the engine and limit engine power. There are no catalytic converters (or mufflers, for that matter) on stock cars.”
“NASA has close ties with the high-performance competitive driving circuit. The Agency’s latest contribution to the sport comes in the form of an air catalyst—part of a filter to keep drivers safe from the carbon monoxide lingering over the track.”
“I remember the days when after the race they had to pull you out of the car, carry you into the shower and lay you in the shower for a while,’ Ricky Rudd says. “A lot of my early days were spent that way.’
“…NASCAR crew chiefs have reported their drivers being unresponsive to directions…Showing erratic skill and even blacking out at the end of races. Some drivers fail to realize they have finished the course.”
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.
Open the overhead garage door before starting the car.
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