Very sad news

Just shows warnings are never wasted as it still happens





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Saw this on the news this morning and went out today for carbon monoxide detectors.

We hear of something like this every year, but it's such a simple mistake to make. To those who haven't heard of this before on a very very cold night it seems the simplest way to get warm and how many of us have just ripped the packaging off one of those disposable bbq's without reading what it says on the packaging ...... it can have deadly consequences and my sympathy goes out to this family.

I'm between opinions on this.

I think and feel that anything involving the death of a child is both a terrible waste and a great sadness.

I've escaped many if not countless accidents by fortune.

Yet I do not expect things to be benign. Though sounding cavalier about things I often have a great respect.

Though I poo poed the use of a CO alarm for some things I acquired one because I use paraffin lanterns. Only to have one sound twice when using my underfloor heater. I've yet to establish if I have a faulty heater or faulty alarm.

We seem to have developed a culture where some believe nothing is dangerous while others are paranoid about any use of gas in camping and others are equally fraught over the use of electrics.

A bit of a stuck record but this is my favourite piece on stove safety. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

As far as the fortunes of the parents go I'm tempted to mention The Darwin Awards [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I think we have taken the risk out of so many things that people tend to think everything is safe.

Watching the news and someone from CCC was on talking about this and she said there are notices on all CCC sites about the dangers of BBQs but apparently nothing on the BBQs themselves. That really needs to change before someone else dies.

It's true what you said Helen, about people not reading instructions - I'm as guilty as anyone. But if it's in big enough letters maybe someone will pay attention and no more lives will be lost needlessly

There have been two camping BBQ related tragedies already this year, the first from a bbq outside the tent but the fumes had got inside. Perhaps all campsites should put up warnings and any disposable bbq without warnings on should be reported. I checked some that we have and they do have warnings on but admit that we haven't ever fully read them before. The fire logs also have warnings on but how many fully read them? we glance and think it's all about fire safety, we have a bowl of water ready just in case and think we're okay!

As for the underfloor heater, we do give it a blow through with a compressor as this is how it's done if you take it in for a service.

As for the underfloor heater, we do give it a blow through with a compressor as this is how it's done if you take it in for a service

If that is in reference to my mention of my CO alarm going off? (Sorry question not a snotty retort)
The heater is burning with a blue flame.
The body appears intact.
It was blowing a gale through the Dandy at the time so I'd imagine a small CO leak would be dissipated.. (January Howstean Gorge I have my suspicions as the alarm went off the same number of hours after having batteries inserted) I reported it as I've not got to the bottom of the issue yet.

The report of the death with the barbeque left outside of the tent, I don't know but I think that may be down to the reporting.( how close would you leave a hot barbecue to the tent? So CO passes over that distance then through the semi-permeabe membrane of a tent rather than blowing away?) According to the report from this weekend the barbecue was in the porch of the tent. Yet all they meant was the front half of a tent. I have doubt's about CO passing through a tent from the outside in sufficient quantities to poison.

Lincolnshire Fire Brigade are interested in visiting the Woodhall meet and doing a talk on camping safety, may even get a free carbon monoxide monitor out of it.

Would anyone be interested?

Cant speak for others but would have thought it was a good idea

I wouldn't mind at all.

this is when the info on this forum comes into its own as when I heard the tragic new of the poor family as my friends were discussing it I showed the info on this forum regarding this problem and they were visibly surprised on all the info provided and how use full it all was