CO Poisoning kills father; mother and child in critical condition

A man died due to carbon monoxide poisoning after being found unresponsive in his home in Doesburg on Wednesday morning. His wife and one of their children were admitted to hospital in critical condition, AD reports.

Emergency services responded to the home on Monseigneur Bekkerslaan at around 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday. They resuscitated three family members at the scene before rushing them to hospital, where the father passed away. The other two victims, the mother and a daughter, are in critical condition.

The house on Monseigneur Bekkerslaan is home to an Ethiopian family, who moved to Doesburg around seven years ago, according to the newspaper. The family consists of father, mother and twelve children. The other kids were checked over by paramedics and did not have to go to hospital.

The fire department is still taking measurements in and around the house. They believe the carbon monoxide poisoning was caused by a faulty central heating boiler. The property has been fully ventilated.

An acquaintance of the family told AD that the family has been complaining a lot about headaches lately.

The Dutch Fire Department and the Dutch Burns Foundation raised concerns about the "silent killer" that is carbon monoxide at the end of last year. Most cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are caused by faulty geysers and heaters, poor ventilation, or clogged smoke channels. The odorless gas is nearly impossible to notice. And the first physical symptoms resemble the flu - a slight headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Without intervention, the victim can lose consciousness or even die.

In #Doesburg waar nog even veel onduidelijk is over wat zich hier vanochtend heeft afgespeeld. Hulpdiensten rukten massaal uit na problemen in een dubbele woning met #koolmonoxidevergiftiging. Het zou gaan om een gezin met veel kinderen. #hvnl pic.twitter.com/pMPVahDDTc

— Wouter Berenschot (@WouterHVNL) September 11, 2019