East Harlem Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Kills Elderly Couple

A time meant for celebration, Easter Sunday, was a nightmare for the daughter of an elderly couple in East Harlem, New York. The elderly couple was found dead following the East Harlem carbon monoxide poisoning possibly due to a defective stove.

The elderly man was found with his face in a pool of vomit. The levels of carbon monoxide in the apartment were elevated. It did not apparently affect any other apartment units, according to the article on DNA Info Harlem.

The elderly are at particular risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Their symptoms might be mistaken for something else, such as the flu. It is important to keep carbon monoxide poisoning top of mind when they present symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion and anoxia. They often live alone and may not be especially connected to community resources.

Multiple family dwellings are required to have carbon monoxide detectors. The law only applies to the homes or units with fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage. In 2014, the law in New York began to require carbon monoxide detectors in commercial buildings too.

The couple, 71-year-old Doris Crawford and 80-year-old John Crawford, were married for more than 46 years. It is a sad ending to a long life. It is a shame that this could have been prevented. The easiest way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to install a carbon monoxide detector. They can be purchased inexpensively at the hardware store.

Three off-brand carbon monoxide alarms were considered a safety risk, and Consumer Reports advised not to buy them. These included the Foho YJ-806, the GoChange 882 LCD and the NetBoat WB_H3110061. When buying a carbon monoxide alarm, it’s important to look for the Underwriter’s Laboratory symbol.

Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of combustion that can occur with a gas-powered stove. The gas is not easily detected, as it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It displaces in an enclosed space that is not well-ventilated.

When you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, ventilate the space. If you feel sick, call for help immediately and get outside. When carbon monoxide enters your body, it binds to hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. It binds to hemoglobin with 200 times the affinity of oxygen. Your brain soon becomes deprived of oxygen, which can cause brain damage. The carbon monoxide also causes an excess of glutamate, a neurotransmitter that is toxic to brain cells.

The woman was found sitting nearby the television. It’s possible that the victims were resting because they weren’t feeling well, thinking they had a bug. Maybe they were sleeping, and the symptoms crept up on them. Carbon monoxide can be a particular danger to sleeping victims, because they can fall asleep and never wake up. This is why it’s so important to have a carbon monoxide detector near sleeping and living areas. An alarm hidden in a boiler room which cannot be heard by people can be useless if people don’t hear it.