The emergency response could have been much more dramatic. It is 11:30 p.m., Friday evening, when the firefighters are alerted by a family from Bagneux (Hauts-de-Seine). On the phone, distraught parents who explain that their two-year-old child is convulsing. Once there, the firefighters quickly understand the situation.
A brazier was lit in the living room causing an increase in the carbon monoxide rate and intoxication of the seven people living in this apartment on the 10th floor, located on Allée du Prunier-Hardy. “Fortunately the child was not asleep, it surely saved him”, we whisper on the side of the firefighters.
“Serious poisoning can lead to permanent sequelae”
The medical examination carried out on the family and the use of a multigas detector will confirm this lead. “When it is breathed, this toxic gas enters the blood and takes the place of oxygen, summarize the firefighters. It then damages all the tissues, it is a real poison. “
The child but also his father were placed in absolute emergency and hospitalized. Placed in a hyperbaric chamber in order to increase their oxygen level, it was still too early, this Saturday morning, to draw definitive conclusions about their state of health. “Serious poisoning can lead to permanent sequelae”, underline the firefighters.
22 firefighters but also two teams from Samu and the police were engaged in this operation. “Several floors of the building were passed to the detector to ensure that there were no other poisonings”, specify the firefighters.
Nearly 150 deaths each year in France
Episodes with which the emergency services are regularly confronted. Each year, in France, nearly 150 deaths and more than 4,000 poisonings are recorded because of carbon monoxide. “It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating gas, undetectable although particularly toxic, hence its dangerousness”, explain the emergency services.
In addition to braziers like in Bagneux, poorly maintained stoves, boilers, heaters or fireplaces can be the cause of this poisoning. “Unfortunately classic incidents with the approach of winter and the drop in temperatures, deplore the firefighters. You have to remember to have your facilities serviced but also to ventilate your home regularly. “
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/data/photo/2019/07/19/5d3128600ea05.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "The Mrapen Eternal Flame goes out, this is an option that can be considered so that it can be lit again")