Kansas City Carbon Monoxide Kills Two

Tragedy struck in the Kansas City carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred last weekend, according to KSN.com. Two people in Kansas City, Kansas died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a Walmart in the parking lot. They were found dead in the parking lot Sunday morning, and the police chief announced the cause of death on Twitter Tuesday.

The 2 individuals we found in the parking lot of Walmart died from carbon monoxide poisoning. https://t.co/oXYtpJr5Qu

— Terry Zeigler (@KCKPDChief) April 25, 2017

A later tweet said that he was not sure what caused the build up of the dangerous gas, but he thought that it might have to do with an exhaust issue.

Could have been an exhaust issue, I’m not sure. https://t.co/CqMqSdwqjm

— Terry Zeigler (@KCKPDChief) April 26, 2017

The kind of car was a sports utility vehicle (an SUV). Earlier this year, I read about police Ford Explorers that were having a carbon monoxide issue. People were experiencing problems while driving with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and even driving off the road. Read more here: http://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/police-suffering-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-driving-ford-explorer/.

It’s not clear what kind of SUV the victims were driving, but carbon monoxide poisoning is definitely a possibility when driving an SUV. When these problems arise, carmakers should place small carbon monoxide detectors in the cars to let the drivers know that the levels are too high for prolonged periods of time and are dangerous. This would be an easy, inexpensive fix to a dangerous, deadly problem.

The problem with carbon monoxide is that it can look like other things. It causes lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. This can be mistaken for the flu or food poisoning. Maybe they were pulling over because they felt nauseous, but they never thought that the car was what was killing them.

The police officer in Texas was driving his Ford Explorer when he began to feel nauseous. He hit a curb, and then called for help after these signs. He was taken to the hospital. Many other incidents have occurred, and the police are not happy with Ford’s lukewarm response.

Ford Explorers are a very popular car, with around one million on the road. Customers report smelling fumes not being exhausted properly, which can make riders and drivers very sick. One police officer in Newport Beach, CA nearly died because of crashing after carbon monoxide poisoning. This is a dangerous situation for not only police officers but civilians who own the Ford Explorer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation last July. The number of complaints currently number in the hundreds. And although the car company might try to minimize the hazards, they are more real than ever for the people who have experienced it. It is a true shame that two people had to die from a possible exhaust problem in Kansas City. Hopefully, this might raise awareness about the problem, and something might be done.