Is this the cause of death of actor Vinod Thomas? Car AC is so dangerous!

Movie serial actor Vinod Thomas (47) who fainted after turning on the air conditioner in his car, the primary conclusion is that he may have inhaled poisonous gas. Although the police have informed that this can be confirmed only after the post-mortem, such accidents have happened before. Is car AC really that dangerous? Studies indicate that.

How about the accident?

Such accidents are rare. In many parts of the world, some people have died like this. Complete combustion of petrol and diesel produces carbon dioxide and steam. But when incomplete combustion takes place, i.e. in the absence of sufficient oxygen for combustion, small amounts of carbon monoxide are also likely to occur.

It is converted into non-toxic carbon dioxide by a system called ‘catalytic converter’ attached to the exhaust pipe. It usually doesn’t cause any problems in cars. However, if this smoke gets inside for any reason, it is dangerous. A good portion of this will be absorbed by the air flow from the outside in the moving vehicle. But it can enter through holes in a stopped vehicle. Breathing it for a long time can cause death.

The villain is carbon monoxide

Many people who fall asleep in the ‘AC’, drunk or not, may not be aware of the presence of carbon monoxide. If this ‘smoke’ is inhaled for a long time, it can cause low oxygen levels in the blood and even death.

Even if the air condition is on, the amount of carbon monoxide inside the car increases as the ventilation does not work properly. Normally, the oxygen in the air we breathe combines with the hemoglobin in the blood and reaches different parts of the body with it. But when carbon monoxide enters the body along with oxygen, hemoglobin prefers to combine with carbon monoxide.

The more carbon monoxide enters the body, the more it reaches all the cells along with the hemoglobin. Thus the cells will die without getting the required vital air. Shortness of breath, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and lethargy are the danger signs. Carbon monoxide only takes a few minutes to kill the body.

Do not leave children in the car

Another major hazard is carrying children inside a closed car. If you have to leave, raise the window at least 3–4 cm. This is also dangerous if it is a power window. It is very likely that the child’s hand and other things will get stuck between the window. Even if you are at home, keep the windows of your parked car closed. Children will not be trapped inside the car by accident.

There are also news reports of a person falling asleep in a car parked inside the garage without turning off the engine. So don’t park your car in closed places with the window up. Do not leave pets locked inside a parked car. If you are trapped inside the car and have trouble breathing, try to get out as soon as possible. Move to a place with fresh air. If the person is unconscious, they should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible and given oxygen.