A London man is being credited for helping save the lives of five of his neighbours when carbon monoxide levels hit a deadly high at a building on Central Avenue.
The man was inside his residence at the multi-unit home on Wednesday when his CO alarm began going off.
"I've never had to deal with this situation before," the unidentified man said in a video posted to the London Fire Department's social media pages. "I was able to find information [about what to do] very quickly, it was right on the fire department's website. I called 911 and the fire department was here super quickly."
The man's actions ensured five other tenants and their pets escaped safely, Fire Captain Derrick Martin said.
Carbon monoxide readings inside the house had reached a deadly level and without the CO alarm and the call to emergency crews the outcome of this could have been tragic, according to the fire department.
The incident on Central Avenue comes just days before Ontario’s Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness Week, which runs from November 1 to 7.
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless gas that can only be detected with a CO alarm. Exposure to it can cause flu-like symptoms including headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. It is the number one cause of preventable poisoning death in North America.
Under the Hawkins Gignac Act, which came into law in October 2014, all homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages are required to have working CO alarms installed outside of all sleeping areas and on each level of the home. Disabling a CO alarm or failure to install one can result in fines that range between $360 to $50,000 for individuals and up to $100,000 for landlords.
Earlier today, Captain Martin & Engine 4 crew ensured tenants evacuated from a multi-unit dwelling filled with deadly levels of carbon monoxide. Thanks to working CO alarms a tenant in the residence called 911 & everyone was ok. #COsafety @ONFireMarshal https://t.co/l93h9RxpMX
— London Fire Department (@LdnOntFire) October 27, 2021
