Milford, CT – MILFORD >> The importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is being stressed by officials after a man who died Tuesday night at Milford Hospital was found with high levels of the deadly gas in his body.
The man, whose identity was not immediately available, died at 7:06 p.m. Fire Capt. Greg Carman said the man had been brought in from 144 Juniper Drive in cardiac arrest.
The man was a carbon monoxide poisoning victim, Carman said.
Carman said the man reportedly tested high for levels of the gas while in the emergency room and the hospital’s emergency room staff called the Fire Department to report possible carbon monoxide problems at the Juniper Drive address, which is near the Milford and Merritt parkways.
Firefighters wearing air packs entered the house and detected elevated levels of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide in the basement and garage. The patient had been found in the garage.
Carman said the cause of the gas emissions is unclear and the investigation is continuing. Police are also investigating because of the patient’s untimely death.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and highly poisonous gas. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of material containing carbon.
Carman said residents must check their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors once a month and change the batteries twice a year. Any detectors that are older than 10 years should be replaced.