Springfield, IL – A malfunctioning furnace is being eyed by investigators as the possible cause of a carbon monoxide leak that led to the Tuesday night death of a 40-year-old man in the 2400 block of Huntington Road.
“We do know that there had been problems with the furnace,” Sangamon County Coroner Cinda Edwards said.
The coroner’s office identified the victim as Erric Burks. An autopsy Wednesday indicated his death was consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Springfield Fire Marshal Chris Richmond said firefighters arrived at the home about 5:30 p.m. to find that the level of carbon monoxide in the house was well above the danger level. People can suffer from nausea, dizziness and weakness when the concentration of the colorless, odorless gas reaches 35 parts per million, and unconsciousness and death are possible when the level reaches the 100-ppm range.
Firefighters detected carbon monoxide levels above 200 ppm inside the home.
“With the range our guys witnessed above 200 ppm, all of those symptoms, unconsciousness and eventual death can happen in a relatively shot period of time a few hours or less,” Richmond said.
Carbon monoxide is produced by appliances and other devices that burn gas, other petroleum products, wood and other fuels.
The gas can build up in a house as a result of a malfunctioning gas appliance, a problem with a fireplace or a blocked vent. Carbon monoxide can also get into a house if someone starts a car in a poorly ventilated attached garage. The only way to detect the gas is with a carbon monoxide detector.
“That’s the hazard when you have a malfunctioning appliance in a residence that doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector,” Richmond said. “There’s no way to be alerted to the problem when you go to bed at night. That’s why we always encourage carbon monoxide detectors.”
Edwards said her investigators did not see any detectors inside the house.
She said people who are trapped in fires and succumb to the smoke can die of carbon monoxide poisoning, and the coroner’s office has also investigated carbon monoxide-related suicides.
Edwards said Burks’ death appears to have been accidental.
The last time the coroner’s office investigated an accidental carbon monoxide death that did not involve a fire was 2012.
When authorities arrived at the home on Huntington Road, which is near Lake Springfield, they found Burks inside as well as a dead cat and a dog that had been overcome by the gas. Firefighters were able to revive the dog.