Southeast 10930 W. Potter Rd. Consumers are advised to keep furnace vent pipes free of snow and ice. In some cases the snow melts and then freezes, restricting carbon monoxide exhaust. Motor vehicle exhaust pipes obstructed by snow may allow carbon monoxide to seep into vehicle cabins through leaks and cracks in the floorboard. Most of the victims were passengers and were children and senior citizens.
Victims have no warning because carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless.
It can kill in minutes or debilitate people for years. Yet some people still ignore carbon monoxide detectors when they go off, thinking they are malfunctioning or confusing them with smoke detectors. Carbon monoxide inhibits the blood's capacity to carry oxygen and is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. Medical experts say that the effects of low levels of carbon monoxide are difficult to recognize because the symptoms resemble so many other illnesses. Early warning signs are drowsiness, headache, mental confusion, nausea, or dizziness.