A 30-year-old man and his dog were found dead inside their home Sunday due to carbon monoxide poisoning from a portable generator.
PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. — Another death linked to Friday night’s severe storms has been confirmed in the St. Louis region.
Phelps County Coroner Ernie Coverdell announced that a 30-year-old man and his dog were found dead inside their home Sunday due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The man had been using a generator indoors following the storm.
“Please be cautious while using a generator in your home,” Coverdell said, “a mistake that cost the victim and his beloved pet their (lives) … Please stay safe as we recover from the devastation of the storm.”
As of Monday morning, the man's identity had not been shared.
The Phelps County man's death brings Missouri’s storm-related fatalities to 13 following the intense system that swept through the state Friday night.
Dangers of Portable Generators
Portable generators create a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning that can kill in minutes, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer because it is a colorless and odorless gas. On average, 85 people die in the U.S. each year due to portable generator use.
In the event of a power outage, the CPSC warns you should never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or shed, as opening windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the lethal buildup of carbon monoxide. Instead, they should be operated outside, at least 20 feet away from the home, and their exhaust should be directed away from the home or any other buildings. Any windows, doors or other openings in the exhaust's path should be kept closed.
