A few weeks ago, a Kihei homeowner left an unopened bag of charcoal on a porch and condensation from an air conditioner leaked onto the bag. The conditions were just right. A similar fire involving a plastic bucket of charcoal stored in damp conditions destroyed a Big Island home several years ago. An equally serious hazard is the use of charcoal in enclosed rooms, the safety commission said. It reported about 20 people die each year as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning from charcoal being used indoors.
Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless.
It is produced in burning charcoal and can reach toxic levels in an enclosed space with poor ventilation. The gas displaces oxygen in a person's lungs, in effect choking them to death. Bal and the commission also cautioned chefs using propane grills to check on the condition of cylinders containing the gaseous fuel. Noting that there is a new standard for propane cylinders to prevent overfilling the tanks, the commission reported that about 600 fires or explosions occur every year as a result of improperly filled tanks. New cylinders all have an overfill prevention device that shuts off the valves when pressure in the tank reaches capacity.