LAKE CITY, SC (WBTW) – It is commonly known as the “Silent Killer.” Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and could be inside your home.
“You’re going to go to sleep and unless somebody walks in and is aware of the situation, then you may not wake up again, so the dangers are extreme,” said West Florence Fire Marshall Dwight Mobley.
That’s why fire officials are warning residents before using a heating alternative to keep their homes warm.
“A lot of people think that it’s harmless to take an alternative heating system such as an open flame gas heater or a kerosene type heater, put it in their homes and their just not aware of the dangers,” said Mobley.
In fact, Coroner Keith Von Lutcken says the bodies of 62-year-old Jimmy Burgess and 56-year-old William Hickson were found Monday afternoon inside a home on Franklin Street in Lake City.
Lutcken says the two men died as a result of using a small space heater powered by a gas generator which led to carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 15,000 emergency room visits and 500 hundred deaths each year are caused by unintentional exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning. But officials say there are ways to mitigate the risk of exposure.
“Keep a window open. I know that sounds contradictory to what your trying to do but make sure that there is some oxygen content that’s in the home,” said Mobley.
Mobley says carbon monoxide detectors should be installed on every level of your home and even near sleeping areas.
“They do alert you at the fact that oxygen is getting low, you need to get to a safe space, open your windows and doors and get oxygen inside,” Mobley explained.
