Actor issues warning after carbon monoxide poisoning scare
Anna Faris has issued a carbon monoxide poisoning warning after her family felt victim to the condition at a holiday rental home last week.
The actor shared on Twitter a picture of a table set for 12, with what looks like a hastily abandoned feast.
In the caption, she explained that she had been “saved from carbon monoxide” by the north Lake Tahoe fire department near where the family were staying to celebrate Thanksgiving.
She does not go into detail as to how the carbon monoxide was discovered, but says it is a “stupidly dramatic story”.
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US news station KOLO TV, based in Nevada, reported further on the incident, saying two family members fell sick upon arriving but assumed it was due to altitude sickness. However, when they went to hospital, they were told they had carbon monoxide poisoning.
I’m not quite sure how to express gratitude to the north Lake Tahoe fire department- we were saved from carbon monoxide- it’s a stupidly dramatic story but I’m feeling very fortunate pic.twitter.com/zqsW77Tda0
— Anna Faris (@AnnaKFaris) November 30, 2019
The police department she credited retweeted the post, together with the message: “Never assume you are safe, check your alarms whenever you travel.”
"I think there's a series of events here that unfolded that made this a fortunate near-miss," North Tahoe Fire Protection District Fire Chief Michael Schwartz told KOLO-TV. "Otherwise I think we would be talking about a Thanksgiving Day tragedy."
Others have weighed in in the comments to share similar instances of carbon monoxide danger, with some sharing tragic fatal instances.
Glad to hear everyone is okay. That’s a really scary feeling. Same thing happened to me once-We all started feeling sleepy, my dad had the presence of mind to open a window. The stove wasn’t venting properly & it could have ended very badly.
— Sarah Deters (@Sarahdeters) November 30, 2019
Glad you’re all safe. My family had an incident with carbon monoxide a few years back. If my 6 month old son hadn’t woke us up, the fire dept said that none of us would have lived through the night due to the extreme levels if CO. Was the result of a busted furnace.
— Dustin W (@dw4ua) November 30, 2019
My parents were killed as well in 2017 because of CO at a Best Western hotel
— Buck Ivie (@BuckIvie) December 4, 2019
Anna, So happy you and your family are safe! The risk of CO poisoning is real. Over Thanksgiving of 2008, my sister, Caroline Lofgren, and her family, Parker, Owen and Sophie, all died from CO poisoning at a rental in Aspen. Please spread the importance of CO alarms. pic.twitter.com/WGG1CiHYP2
— hildy (@hildy143199701) December 3, 2019
Carbon monoxide risk
“Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, wood and coal,” according to the Fire Service website.
While it is normally to use carbon-based fuels, problems arise when it isn’t burnt properly produced excess carbon monoxide.
READ MORE: Carbon monoxide danger while travelling: How to minimise risk of it happening to you
The website recommends a number of measures to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in the home, including using audible carbon monoxide alarms.
You should also make sure gas appliance work is performed by a Gas Safe Registered engineer, it says.
Holiday homeowners and carbon monoxide
As a holiday homeowner, under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 you are legally required to ensure all gas appliances are safely maintained.
You must also carry out an annual gas safety check by a registered engineer on each of these appliances every two years.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide claims 60 lives in England and Wales every year, according to the NHS website.
“Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Breathing it in can make you unwell, and it can kill if you're exposed to high levels,” the website explains.
The main symptom is a tension-type headache, it says.
Other symptoms can include:
dizziness
feeling and being sick
tiredness and confusion
stomach pain
shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
