"The emissions coming out of those generators or any gas powered motor released is deadly especially if it accumulates enough,” Dearborn Fire Chief Joseph Murray explained
Credit: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
- A 16-year-old boy died of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning on Saturday, July 4
- Police reportedly found him in his Michigan home with a generator running in the basement
- “It should always be outside, at least 20 feet away from the house,” Fire Chief Joseph Murray emphasized of generators
A teenage boy died while running a generator in the basement of his Michigan home.
After strong storms swept across southeast Michigan, leaving hundreds of residents with damaged homes and without power, a 16-year-old boy was found dead from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning on Saturday, July 4, the Melvindale Police confirmed to WXYZ Detroit.
"What we discovered unfortunately was he was running a generator in his basement," Dearborn Fire Chief Joseph Murray told the outlet of the incident.
Credit: Getty
Sharing a warning about generators, he continued, "It should always be outside, at least 20 feet away from the house."
"The emissions coming out of those generators or any gas powered motor released is deadly especially if it accumulates enough,” he added. "Not only generators but even some appliances can emit carbon monoxide, your furnace and other appliances.”
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In addition to warning about the dangers of running a generator inside an enclosed space, Murray emphasized how important it is to have a carbon monoxide detector in every home.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), carbon monoxide poses a threat during power outages as “the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for heating, cooling, or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and to poison the people and animals inside.”
Carbon monoxide is described as “an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death if inhaled.”
The CDC warns against ever using a generator or any gasoline-powered engine inside a home, basement, or garage.
Following the storms in parts of Michigan, Mayor Mary Sheffield instructed several city departments to “provide response and relief efforts to address immediate safety concerns and to ensure our most vulnerable residents are cared for," The Detroit News reported.
The Dearborn fire and police departments have distributed dry ice to residents, the city's General Services Department has brought in staff to clear downed trees and the Department of Public Works is working with the DTE to fix traffic lights impacted by power outages.
"The City of Detroit is here to help and I encourage you to check on your friends and neighbors to see if they are in need of any of these resources,” Sheffield wrote in a statement, per the outlet. “We will get through this together by working together."
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