THREE deer-hunters who died in a caravan at a remote spot in the Central Highlands probably succumbed to carbon-monoxide poisoning from a gas-powered refrigerator, Tasmania Police said today.
A Launceston man in his 50s and his son, a 21-year-old from Hobart, plus a Launceston man in his 30s, were found by friends at 8.10am yesterday.
The friend and his nine-year-old son were staying with the men, but staying in a tent nearby.
He was forced to drive for an hour to the Marlborough Highway to reach mobile reception so he could report the deaths to emergency services.
Inspector Lee Renshaw in Hobart said he had never encountered a case like this.
Insp Renshaw said old-style caravans could become effectively airtight.
He said there were instructions on the fridge warning against its use in confined spaces and said the tragedy was greater because it appeared preventable.
The carbon monoxide levels yesterday afternoon were still high enough so that firefighters if encountering them would use breathing apparatus, he said.
The men's bodies were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital. Their families have been notified and a coronial inquest has opened.
Vic said
12:52 PM Mar 19, 2012
Some years ago a man and his daughter in WA died from the carbon monoxide from the burn gasses of their gas fridge in a campervan in cold weather when they blocked off their inside vents/closed windows etc.
-- Edited by Vic on Monday 19th of March 2012 10:48:37 PM
very tragic for the nearest and dearest of those concerned.
BobnBev said
03:49 PM Mar 19, 2012
Yes its always sad when some loses a loved one, As I read this its most likely they had a portable gas fridge,and were running it from a gas bottle in side the van, not a fridge that was fitted in the van as a 3 way is.....
Would be best to leave it running out side, for thoes that have the portable gas fridges....
Bob...
Rip and Rosie said
05:18 PM Mar 19, 2012
We have one of those 3 way portable fridges, and although we have occasionally used it inside the van, never on gas..... might stop that now.
I have owned 2 caravans, which have vents in the doors, so never become airtight. At times, when its been very cold, we have blocked them to keep the cold out.... might stop doing that too now.
Happywanderer said
05:28 PM Mar 19, 2012
I have a 3 way fitted fridge, it has vents to the outside behind it. Would never think of blocking any vents. Get out an extra blanket and put socks on.
Sheba said
06:08 PM Mar 19, 2012
This is why the only Gas I use is small Butane Canisters, in a small camping stove. Fridge runs on 12Volt. I won't have any other Gas.
Cheers,
Sheba.
jimricho said
01:43 AM Mar 20, 2012
Not sure about carbon monoxide, which is produced by burning gas, but unburnt gas is heavier than air and sinks, that is why the door vent is located at the bottom of the door.
Vic said
02:29 PM Mar 22, 2012
Well worth it Smokey. At one time Avan put smoke detectors in their A shaped Avans, mine had one but kept going off, fly spray, hair spray almost anything would trigger it. Naughty I know but I ended up disconnecting it...
I would have thought that with gas being heavier than air (which it is) those low vents are ok for that, but wouldn't the burnt gases (carbon monoxide) rise?
-- Edited by Vic on Thursday 22nd of March 2012 02:31:10 PM
Gas finds the lowest spot first....then rises....as it takes oxygen.......you end up permantly a sleep.......its not burnt gas that kills..smoke alarm would activate if a fire......I'm talking gas leaks.....stove.or fridge
so fit the detector closest to the floor.....unlike smoke alarms fitted to ceiling
jimricho said
02:04 AM Mar 23, 2012
Correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that unburnt gas does not contain CO (carbon monoxide) and that CO is one of the products of combustion and yes is very poisonous. It therefore occurs to me that a CO detector would not detect a (unburnt) gas leak. I'd be interested in your comment Smokeydk as I don't have your background in these matters.
Vic said
04:43 AM Mar 23, 2012
Smokeydk wrote:
Gas finds the lowest spot first....then rises....as it takes oxygen.......you end up permantly a sleep.......its not burnt gas that kills..smoke alarm would activate if a fire......I'm talking gas leaks.....stove.or fridge
so fit the detector closest to the floor.....unlike smoke alarms fitted to ceiling
I'm a bit confused here Smokey, your smoke detector says Carbon Monoxide alarm, which would be burnt gas and can kill. Like car exhaust fumes, they are Carbon Monoxide too and are burnt fuel...
I am aware that unburnt gas is heavier than air and will sink to the lowest level.
My understanding is that these people were suffocated by burn gas from their refrigerator (cabon monoxide) ????????
My understanding is that smoke detectors should be up high, LPG dectors down low, and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors midway to high. CO is slightly lighter than air so will mix with the air, not fall to the floor like LPG which is heavier than air. I am not sure that CO detectors will also detect LPG as a different sensor is required.
We have a wood burning stove in the kitchen next to our bedroom which in the dead of Melbourne winter we will burn overnight to keep the house warm. We were advised by firemen to have our CO detector sitting on our beside table or mounted midway up the wall nearest headboard end of the bed.
I am also puzzled as to why you would put a "CO detector" in what should be the most ventilated part of the caravan.
BTW this has reminded me that I need to replace my CO detector as it is now some 6 years old.
Afternoon
Went to Bunnings and purchassed the Quell CO Alarm to replace our existing old one (found the receipt it was 8 years old).
Page 9 of the instructions on "Where to Install your Quell CO Alarm" one point says:-
"Do not place near fresh air vents or close to doors and windows that open to the outside".
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Friday 23rd of March 2012 03:07:41 PM
jack biggles said
10:27 PM Mar 23, 2012
RIP victims. Very sad, one must be very careful with Gas.
THREE deer-hunters who died in a caravan at a remote spot in the Central Highlands probably succumbed to carbon-monoxide poisoning from a gas-powered refrigerator, Tasmania Police said today.
A Launceston man in his 50s and his son, a 21-year-old from Hobart, plus a Launceston man in his 30s, were found by friends at 8.10am yesterday.
The friend and his nine-year-old son were staying with the men, but staying in a tent nearby.
He was forced to drive for an hour to the Marlborough Highway to reach mobile reception so he could report the deaths to emergency services.
Inspector Lee Renshaw in Hobart said he had never encountered a case like this.
Insp Renshaw said old-style caravans could become effectively airtight.
He said there were instructions on the fridge warning against its use in confined spaces and said the tragedy was greater because it appeared preventable.
The carbon monoxide levels yesterday afternoon were still high enough so that firefighters if encountering them would use breathing apparatus, he said.
The men's bodies were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital. Their families have been notified and a coronial inquest has opened.
Some years ago a man and his daughter in WA died from the carbon monoxide from the burn gasses of their gas fridge in a campervan in cold weather when they blocked off their inside vents/closed windows etc.
-- Edited by Vic on Monday 19th of March 2012 10:48:37 PM
Petengail had a post here a day or so back http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t48320584/camping-deaths-in-tasmania/
very tragic for the nearest and dearest of those concerned.
Yes its always sad when some loses a loved one, As I read this its most likely they had a portable gas fridge,and were running it from a gas bottle in side the van, not a fridge that was fitted in the van as a 3 way is.....
Would be best to leave it running out side, for thoes that have the portable gas fridges....
Bob...
I have owned 2 caravans, which have vents in the doors, so never become airtight. At times, when its been very cold, we have blocked them to keep the cold out.... might stop doing that too now.
This is why the only Gas I use is small Butane Canisters, in a small camping stove. Fridge runs on 12Volt. I won't have any other Gas.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Well worth it Smokey. At one time Avan put smoke detectors in their A shaped Avans, mine had one but kept going off, fly spray, hair spray almost anything would trigger it. Naughty I know but I ended up disconnecting it...
I would have thought that with gas being heavier than air (which it is) those low vents are ok for that, but wouldn't the burnt gases (carbon monoxide) rise?
-- Edited by Vic on Thursday 22nd of March 2012 02:31:10 PM
I recently installed one of these in door well
http://www.bunnings.com.au/products_product_quell-carbon-monoxide-alarm_4878.aspx?categoryId=80&searchByTerms=false&search=+&filter=brandname--Quell
so fit the detector closest to the floor.....unlike smoke alarms fitted to ceiling
I'm a bit confused here Smokey, your smoke detector says Carbon Monoxide alarm, which would be burnt gas and can kill. Like car exhaust fumes, they are Carbon Monoxide too and are burnt fuel...
I am aware that unburnt gas is heavier than air and will sink to the lowest level.
My understanding is that these people were suffocated by burn gas from their refrigerator (cabon monoxide) ????????
Afternoon
Went to Bunnings and purchassed the Quell CO Alarm to replace our existing old one (found the receipt it was 8 years old).
Page 9 of the instructions on "Where to Install your Quell CO Alarm" one point says:-
"Do not place near fresh air vents or close to doors and windows that open to the outside".
-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Friday 23rd of March 2012 03:07:41 PM