Vent Pipe to Blame in SD Carbon Monoxide Deaths

Date: 11/10/2008

BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) _ Authorities in Brookings think a missing vent pipe was to blame in the apparent carbon monoxide poisoning deaths of a man and his daughter found in their home early Sunday.

The victims are Grant Holmstrum, 54, and Janna Holmstrum, 21.

Police Capt. Jeff Miller said the call came in shortly after 2 a.m. At first, police didn’t know what happened to the victims and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on them for some time, he said

The carbon monoxide affected some officers as well, Miller said. “Four officers also were taken and admitted to the hospital for exposure,” he said. “They were treated and released later that morning.”

Carbon monoxide has no detectable odor. Early symptoms such as headache, nausea and fatigue often are mistaken for the flu. It’s the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the U.S.

People should consider getting their heating system checked out, Miller said.

“Especially, I guess, if you have an older furnace, it’s something that would be a good idea to have it periodically checked and certainly put in a carbon monoxide detector in your home,” Miller said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.