The first intervention by Bolesławiec firefighters took place on Tuesday, February 9. In the evening, a carbon monoxide detector went off in an apartment on Jana Pawła II Street. (At one point, it even showed 250 ppm.) The resident called the fire service to the scene. Firefighters confirmed the report. The premises were ventilated, and an inspection of the gas furnace was recommended.

Another—more serious—intervention took place at around 11 p.m., this time in an apartment on Prusa Street in Bolesławiec. A 20-year-old woman collapsed in the bathroom and lost consciousness. The firefighters provided her with qualified first aid, after which the injured woman was attended to by an emergency medical team.

The third carbon monoxide-related intervention took place on February 10, around noon, also on Prusa Street, but this time in a commercial premises. The permitted carbon monoxide concentration was exceeded there as well. Fortunately, no one was injured in this case.

In view of the frequent recent incidents, such as chimney-soot fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, the County Headquarters of the State Fire Service recommends installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes.

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide, commonly known as CO, is an odorless gas with highly toxic properties that is completely undetectable by human senses at room temperature. Since the heating season is already underway and many people heat their homes with gas heaters, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases.

Where does carbon monoxide come from and why is it so dangerous?

It is a highly poisonous, colorless and odorless gas, slightly lighter than air, which allows it to mix and spread easily. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of many fuels, including wood, oil, gas, gasoline, kerosene, propane, coal and crude oil, caused by a lack of the oxygen necessary for complete combustion. This may result from insufficient fresh (outside) air reaching the appliance in which combustion takes place, due to contamination, wear or incorrect adjustment of a gas burner, as well as premature closing of a furnace or stove firebox. This is particularly dangerous in apartments whose windows are tightly closed or sealed for winter. Carbon monoxide is also often produced during fires.

The danger of carbon monoxide poisoning stems from the fact that the gas cannot be detected by humans. It enters the body through the respiratory system and is then absorbed into the bloodstream. In the respiratory system, carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin 210 times faster than oxygen, blocking the supply of oxygen to the body. This poses a serious threat to human health and life. It prevents oxygen from being properly distributed in the blood and causes damage to the brain and other internal organs. Acute poisoning may result in irreversible damage to the central nervous system, coronary insufficiency and a heart attack, or even death.

How can poisoning be prevented?

The primary cause of poisoning is incomplete combustion, which can occur, for example, when windows are closed too tightly and there is inadequate ventilation. This causes carbon monoxide to form and makes it difficult for it to escape. The amount of exhaust that flows outside depends on how much fresh air enters the room. Above all, it is therefore necessary to ensure a constant supply of fresh air to the firebox (gas furnace, gas stove, coal stove or furnace) and the unobstructed discharge of exhaust fumes.

Remember to:

  • open a window slightly in the apartment when using any source of fire (a gas furnace with an open combustion chamber, a gas or coal stove)
  • do not cover ventilation grilles or air-intake openings
  • use the services of a qualified person when installing heating appliances and systems
  • have ventilation systems and chimney flues inspected and cleaned periodically
  • use technically sound appliances in which combustion takes place in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; check the technical condition of heating appliances
  • use appliances with the required approvals for market placement; in cases of doubt, request the declaration of conformity issued by the appliance's manufacturer or importer, meaning a document containing information about the technical specifications, intended use and scope of application of the appliance
  • when replacing windows with new ones, check that the ventilation works properly, because new windows are usually much more airtight than those previously used in the building and may worsen ventilation
  • check the air draft regularly, for example by holding a sheet of paper against an opening or ventilation grille; if nothing is obstructing the ventilation, the sheet should stick to the opening or grille
  • ventilate rooms where combustion takes place frequently (kitchens and bathrooms equipped with gas water heaters), and preferably ensure that the windows are slightly unsealed, even if only a little
  • place carbon monoxide detectors in the part of the home where your family sleeps. For greater safety, it is worth placing additional detectors in every room; do not burn charcoal indoors, in a garage, on an enclosed porch or in similar places if they do not have adequate ventilation
  • do not leave a car running in the garage, even if the garage door remains open
  • do not disregard symptoms such as shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, weakness, accelerated heartbeat and breathing, as they may signal carbon monoxide poisoning; in such a situation, immediately ventilate the room you are in and seek medical advice.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • general fatigue
  • shortness of breath
  • difficulty breathing
  • rapid, irregular breathing
  • drowsiness
  • nausea.

The weakness and fatigue experienced by a person suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as impaired orientation and ability to assess danger, make them completely passive (they do not flee the place where the poison has accumulated), causing them to lose consciousness and—if no one comes to their aid—die.

How can you help in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning?

  • immediately provide an inflow of fresh, clean air
  • take the injured person to a safe place in the fresh air as quickly as possible
  • loosen the injured person's clothing, but do not undress them, as they must not be allowed to become chilled
  • call the emergency services
  • if the person suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning is not breathing after being taken into the fresh air, immediately begin artificial respiration and chest compressions.