Lifeline saves Bodmin man from carbon monoxide poisoning

Last updated: 20/12/2012 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

A Bodmin man has had a lucky escape after a carbon monoxide alarm alerted emergency services to a build up of the poisonous gas in his home.

Fire crews from Bodmin were called to the aid of the man on Wednesday evening after his ‘Lifeline’ alarm detected traces of carbon monoxide (CO) in the St Georges Crescent property. The CO alarm was linked to the lifeline system which is monitored 24/7 An alert was raised at Cornwall Lifelines monitoring centre and swiftly passed through to CFRS fire control.

Firefighters ventilated the property and the man, who was thought to be in 50s and was suffering from breathing difficulties, was passed to into the care of paramedics. The CO leak was caused by a faulty portable gas heater.

A colourless, odourless and poisonous gas, carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels including gas, oil, wood and coal.

“The man had a very lucky escape,” said Group Manager Mark Blatchford from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service. “The Lifeline system really did provide a life line - had the alarm not been in place, the man could have been very seriously ill.”

Cornwall Lifeline provides a round the clock service for around 12,000 people throughout Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Devon. It provides peace of mind for individuals, their friends, family and carers in the knowledge that help is at hand 24 hours a day every day of the year.

There are a number of devices that can be wirelessly linked though the lifeline service including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors - for more details and free advice please contact Cornwall Lifeline

Tips for staying CO safe include:

Buy a carbon monoxide detector - place it in your home (refer to manufacturers guidelines) test it regularly and keep the sensor free from dust and well maintained. You can also buy a portable detector to take with you on holiday.
Have your appliances properly installed and regularly serviced by qualified installers.
Sweep chimneys and flues regularly.
Don’t block vents – make sure your home is ventilated.
When removing hot ashes from an open fire at the end of the day, ensure they are removed to fresh air in a metal bucket and extinguished properly in a safe environment.