Three hospitalized after reported carbon monoxide poisoning in Laguna Vista
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Three people are hospitalized in Laguna Vista after a reported carbon monoxide poisoning.
During a test fire, crews detected the gas at a home, and they are still trying to figure out what led to the poisoning.
The three victims inside had heavy exposure to carbon monoxide. They were found at around 7 a.m. Saturday, and all are currently hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit.
Two dogs were also in the home and one of them died as a result of the poisoning.
Port Isabel Fire Marshal John Sandoval describes carbon monoxide as a silent killer.
"It's odorless, colorless, not something you can easily be able to find whether or not it's inside your home," Sandoval said.
Sandoval says the first signs of poisoning are fatigue, flu like symptoms and sometimes dizziness.
"It's very difficult to tell. A lot of time, people just feel they're tired, maybe they're coming down with something, they lay down to go to sleep, and unfortunately they don't wake up," Sandoval said.
Sandoval says carbon monoxide is given off through fossil fuel burning, which includes appliances like gas stoves, anything that's uses propane and non-electric water heaters and also gas powered generators.
Sandoval says as it gets colder, they respond to more carbon monoxide related calls because people leave their stoves on to heat their homes.
When that happens, fire crews use special equipment to test for carbon monoxide and other gases in and outside of them home.
Sandoval wants everyone to keep carbon monoxide warnings in mind as it starts to get colder and since it's hard to detect ourselves, they suggest people buy a carbon monoxide detector.
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