FW: A South Lyon woman’s CO detector was beeping. She turned it off. And then got very sick

South Lyon Fire Chief Joey Thorington knows it can be annoying when your carbon monoxide detector starts beeping and you’re sure it’s nothing.

Please don’t turn it off, he asks, because it’s there to potentially save your life.

The reminder comes after South Lyon firefighters responded to a condo on Franklin Terrace in the Colonial Acres Senior Living Community at around 11:07 a.m., Jan. 23 for an extremely ill female patient.

“While the rescue crew was there, the woman told them the carbon monoxide detector had started beeping the night before and she took the batteries out,” Thorington said. “Fortunately she woke up. … Things smelled different and it didn’t feel right.”Firefighters suspected it could be a CO incident. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can be produced in high levels in a home by malfunctioning furnaces, hot water heaters or anything that uses gas. In this case, Thorington said it appeared a boiler used to heat the condo was at fault.

In addition to high levels of carbon monoxide, Thorington said there were also high levels of combustibles in the condo that resulted in the odors.

Adjoining units also had levels of carbon monoxide and combustibles that were unacceptable. People living in six condos were evacuated. The residents initially were moved to the clubhouse and then were sent to stay at a hotel while a contractor worked to fix the issue, Thorington said.

 

Firefighters have responded to the senior living community in the past for carbon monoxide poisoning. Thorington said the fire department performs safety inspections on commercial buildings, but not on individual private residences.

Colonial Acres management could not be immediately reached for comment.

What to know about carbon monoxide poisoning
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting and confusion. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide poisoning sends more than 100,000 Americans to hospital emergency departments each year and kills more than 420 Americans annually. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms.

Thorington said the woman is “very fortunate” and expected to fully recover.

He urges residents to get heating appliances regularly inspected and never remove batteries from either carbon monoxide or smoke detectors.

If detectors are beeping, the fire department will come check the alarms for free, he said. Thorington said any city resident who does not have a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector can get one for free from the fire department, which also will install the unit at no charge. Call the City of South Lyon Fire Department at 248-437-2616.