Man heated apartment with charcoal grill and died of carbon monoxide poisoning

Heating turned off: Tenant heats with grill and dies of carbon monoxide poisoning
In Bad Berleburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, a 53-year-old man died in a tragic accident of carbon monoxide poisoning. The tenant had apparently heated his apartment with a barbecue because the landlord had turned off the heating.

Apartment with barbecue heated
A 53-year-old man from Bad Berleburg (district of Siegen-Wittgenstein) in North Rhine-Westphalia has died trying to heat up his cold apartment with a charcoal grill, the news agency dpa reports. The police in Siegen reported accordingly, that the body of the man was discovered on Sunday by a friend. According to the investigators, heating and electricity in the house had been shut down for some time. It was announced that the man died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, a man died of carbon monoxide poisoning. He heated his apartment with a charcoal grill. (Image: HERRKITZINGER / fotolia.com)

Tragic accident
It is said that the police and the prosecution are assuming an accident. There is no evidence of third party debt. The landlord could not be held responsible for the death of the man, even if he should have shut off electricity and heating. Rescue workers have to move out again and again because of carbon monoxide poisoning or suspicion. The odorless gas develops among other things also in the burning of glowing charcoal.

Huge health hazards due to carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide can cause headaches even in low concentrations of 200 particles per million air molecules (ppm). At a higher concentration, you may experience symptoms such as palpitations, hallucinations, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting or fainting. Not only when grilling, but also through defective gas heating or wood pellet heaters can threaten a carbon monoxide poisoning when the toxic gases reach the apartment. And when smoking, carbon monoxide is inhaled and, together with the intake of tar, nicotine and other pollutants increases the risk of cancer. Last but not least, CO can damage the inner skin of the blood vessels and thereby promote arteriosclerosis. (Ad)