Report Reveals Fatalities from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning have Tripled
Gas Safety Trust reveals dramatic increase in Carbon Monoxide related incidents
A report published by the Gas Safety Trust reveals a dramatic rise in the number of deaths resulting from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the UK since 2010.
In the 12-month period between 1st July 2010 and 30th June 2011 there were 50-recorded incidents involving CO poisoning. Of the 105 people involved in these incidents, there were 25 fatalities and 80 injuries without fatal consequences - over three times as many fatalities as were reported in 2010.
The Gas Safety Trust is calling for UK householders to be more aware of the dangers of CO, known as the ‘silent killer’ because you cannot smell, taste, hear or see it’s presence, particularly as the time for turning on central heating approaches. Tuesday 11th October is ‘Switch On Day’, the day when most people in the UK turn their central heating on.
October through to March is the high-risk period, during which 72% of CO related incidents occur. The number of incidents peaked in December 2010 when the UK experienced widespread snow and the coldest December for 100 years.
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