Carbon monoxide poisoning has left one woman dead and a man fighting for his life in a block of flats in London.
The female, aged 26, was discovered by the fire fighters called to the scene and was pronounced dead at the scene. The man, aged 32, was unconscious when ambulance crews found him. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.
Other residents in the block of flats have been evacuated to local community centres for more than four hours while rescue workers ensured the safety of the property. Rescue workers were called in initially just after 8pm and the other residents were allowed back to their properties after 1am.
The property in Hounslow, West London, was vented and declared safe around 1am, yet no clear evidence of the source of the carbon monoxide leak was found.Â
Carbon monoxide poisoning claims between 20 to 30 lives each year in the UK, and the authorities are investing heavily in education and prevention.
Annual boiler check and gas safety certificate is viewed as the best preventative measure to be taken by owners and households in general. A Corgi registered plumber or heating engineer can quickly check the safety of the boiler and other gas appliances and the general condition of the gas system.
Since carbon monoxide has no smell or colour it is extremely dangerous as it causes asphyxiation very rapidly, without the victim being aware of his or her condition.