It took only 11 minutes for carbon monoxide to kill.

That乌鸦传媒檚 all the time, authorities believe, that Sarah MacDermid, 31, and her boyfriend Casey Bussiere, 37, had after they were were accidentally 乌鸦传媒� and unknowingly 乌鸦传媒� exposed to carbon monoxide from an inadequately-ventilated propane water heater in a shower building in Tulameen, B.C.

The tragedy took place on Aug. 3, 2020, over the B.C. Day long weekend, and it乌鸦传媒檚 one that White Rock乌鸦传媒檚 Fiona MacDermid 乌鸦传媒� Sarah乌鸦传媒檚 aunt 乌鸦传媒� will never forget.

It乌鸦传媒檚 a grim lesson she wants to bring to public attention, to prevent similar tragedies from occurring, particularly as B.C. residents head into summer camping and cabin season.

乌鸦传媒淧eople don乌鸦传媒檛 know how easy it is, how simple it is, to die of this,乌鸦传媒� MacDermid said, describing carbon monoxide as 乌鸦传媒渁 silent enemy that can be found in fumes produced by furnaces, stoves, lanterns, barbecues and gas ranges, or by burning charcoal and wood.乌鸦传媒�

She also urges holidaymakers to make sure that vents in campers or cabins are clear of debris, such as leaves or even the corpses of small animals that might have accumulated.

The best way people can protect themselves and their families is by purchasing a carbon monoxide detector, MacDermid said.

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乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a simple little device can save your life,乌鸦传媒� she added. 乌鸦传媒淭hey ought to be as common in our campers and cabins as smoke detectors are in homes.乌鸦传媒�

According to Technical Safety BC, carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that is produced when fuels are burned incompletely, and interferes with the body乌鸦传媒檚 ability to absorb oxygen.

The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion MacDermid said 乌鸦传媒� but by the time anyone realizes they are suffering from them it乌鸦传媒檚 likely too late, she warned.

High levels of carbon monoxide inhalation can swiftly cause loss of consciousness and death, as was the case with Sarah and Casey 乌鸦传媒� who were both pronounced dead at the scene, after being discovered by friends and neighbours who had desperately attempted to revive them.

乌鸦传媒淵ou just go unconscious,乌鸦传媒� MacDermid said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e non compos mentis 乌鸦传媒� you need to get out, but you can乌鸦传媒檛.乌鸦传媒�

It was a beautiful summer day when the fatal incident occurred, MacDermid said.

Sarah and Casey, residents of Pitt Meadows, were beginning to build a new cabin, on the property at Otter Lake, Tulameen 乌鸦传媒� just north of Princeton 乌鸦传媒� which had long been in his family.

乌鸦传媒淚t was their dream, but it came to a terrible end for both of them,乌鸦传媒� MacDermid said.

Her brother Stuart (Sarah乌鸦传媒檚 father) is still devastated by the tragedy, she added, noting that her own relationship with her niece was closer to that of a parent.

乌鸦传媒淢e and my brother brought her up, because my brother got divorced very early,乌鸦传媒� she said.

乌鸦传媒淪arah was a beautiful, vibrant girl 乌鸦传媒� she乌鸦传媒檇 just graduated from nursing school and had just got her first full-time job.乌鸦传媒�

A Technical Safety BC investigation found that a tankless, on-demand propane water heater had been improperly installed in a shower building on the property.

It was mounted on a wall adjacent to the shower, while the safety notice on the unit warned that it should be mounted in a well-ventilated place outside of any bathroom or similar facility.

The case highlighted the perils of do-it-yourself installations presenting a greater risk of carbon monoxide exposure in recreational and off-the-grid situations, the report concluded.

But rather than assigning blame for one specific tragedy, MacDermid said she is most interested in helping raise the public乌鸦传媒檚 awareness of carbon monoxide, and the value of having a carbon monoxide detector close at hand, which could save others from a similar fate.

乌鸦传媒淚 want to make sure that nobody乌鸦传媒檚 the next victim of this,乌鸦传媒� she said.

alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
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