FRUITPORT, Mich. — A day after investigators linked a Fruitport Township man’s death to a weather-related power interruption and generator use, emergency workers urged homeowners to observe a set of potentially life-saving precautions.
A 62-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene on Herron Lane Wednesday afternoon, while his wife, a 64-year-old female had to be hospitalized in serious condition, according to Fruitport Police.
Investigators found a running generator when they made emergency entrance into the garage.
The homeowners, police said, were found unresponsive on the floor after it’s believed toxic exhaust gasses had filled the area and seeped into their home.
First-responders were able to revive the 64-year-old and administered oxygen at the scene.
As hundreds remained without power for a second day Thursday, the incident, investigators said, should serve as ample warning to generator-users as winter bears down.
“You need to use due caution when you're using portable, heated or fueled appliances,” Captain Bill Smith of the Grand Rapids Fire Department related. “This is completely preventable.”
“Even if your garage door’s open, think about your prevailing winds that can blow it into your home,” he noted. “If you're smelling exhaust, you're probably getting a pretty good level of carbon monoxide in that space.”
The symptoms of exposure, Smith said, often mimic those of the common seasonal flu.
It’s considered a best practice, he explained, to place portable generators at a minimum of 10 to 20 feet away from a home or inhabited building.
Smith also advised homeowners to keep them well-away from doors, windows and other openings which could allow the colorless, odorless gas to gain passage.
The same hidden hazards, he said, apply elsewhere in most homes:
“We have water heaters, we have our own heaters for our homes, you definitely want to keep those vent spaces clear,” Smith explained. “Your clothes dryer--think about that. The gases can build up in those if it's not vented properly outside.”
With more winter weather on the horizon, ensuring exterior vents remain clear of snow, ice or debris is a critical precaution.
Yet, it’s a simple piece of plastic, Smith said, that could save your life: a $10 carbon monoxide alarm.
“You should have a carbon monoxide detector outside of every sleeping space of your home, each level of your home… so they can detect this odorless and colorless, very dangerous gas,” he related. “Having carbon monoxide alarms in your home is imperative to your safety.”
For information on power restoration efforts, visit the Consumers Energy Outage Map.
For additional generator safety information, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.
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