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ELY- An Ely resident on the 600 block of E. James Street did exactly the right thing when the CO alarm went off in her house — she exited the building and called 911. The Ely Fire Department …
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ELY- An Ely resident on the 600 block of E. James Street did exactly the right thing when the CO alarm went off in her house — she exited the building and called 911. The Ely Fire Department responded with its Hummer unit and a fire engine just before 9 a.m. Firefighters detected the smell of fuel oil and measured high levels of carbon monoxide, or CO, inside the home. After shutting off the furnace, the fire department ventilated the residence.
“During this time of year when everyone is running their furnace, the fire department gets a lot more of these CO calls than people realize,” said Ely police sergeant Brad Roy, who was among the responders at the scene.
Carbon monoxide is known as the “invisible killer” because it is colorless, odorless, and toxic. CO poisoning can occur when a fuel-burning appliance, such as a furnace, heater, or generator, is not working or is vented improperly. Since CO is lighter than air, it will spread upward through a home undetected if a CO alarm is absent.
“It’s important to have a CO detector in your home,” said Fire Chief David Marshal. “And make sure the batteries are still good and that it’s working. CO detectors save lives.”
Both hardware stores in Ely sell CO detectors.