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ANOTHER CO death reported. please be careful/sensible!

52 replies

SeaShellsInTheMoonlight · 15/08/2011 16:56

just highlighting this again as I think it's the third ive seen in the press this year. BBC are reporting a woman died in north Wales. Her husband and children are recovering according to reports.

I'll try and link to the article.

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SeaShellsInTheMoonlight · 15/08/2011 17:00
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smugmumofboys · 15/08/2011 17:03

That's awful. I am going to be a bit dim though and ask where the fumes came from. We camp and I don't understand how this came about - which is worrying me as I may be ignoring a potential danger.

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Ephiny · 15/08/2011 17:37

Would guess someone had a stove or similar inside or near the tent, is often the case. I agree it would be good if they said what the cause was, might prevent it happening to someone else. Though this only just happened, maybe not all the facts are known yet :( Very sad to hear, as always.

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SeaShellsInTheMoonlight · 15/08/2011 17:38

Carbon monoxide is produced by burning fuels ie. Gas stoves or BBQ etc. Normally it's ok if you are outside, but in a confined space they concentration can build to a fatal level (it stops your blood from being correctly oxygenated)

Basically never cook in your tent or take BBQ etc in to help heat the tent.

It's a risk at home too with gas/coal fireplaces etc and you can get CO alarms that look like fire alarms for peace of mind.

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smugmumofboys · 15/08/2011 18:22

Blimey. Thought it might be that but wasn't sure. Must admit to sometimes having our stove on in the tent but next to an open door.

Never again. Such a sad story.

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Ephiny · 15/08/2011 19:00

I would never ever have the stove on in the tent, or even just outside the door. All fires and cooking stuff stays well away from the tent, there's the fire risk as well as CO, it just isn't worth it IMO. A gazebo is useful for cooking in the rain!

I think you've got to be really careful with modern tents, as in the sleeping compartments especially you're very much 'sealed in', which is good for keeping dry and draught-free of course, but the flip side of that is the lack of ventilation. They catch fire easily and burn quickly as well!

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Doyouthinktheysaurus · 15/08/2011 19:19

Very sad story, seems to have happened a few times recently.

I won't cook in the tent or under the canopy at the front but I saw so many people doing it when we were on holiday. Having seen the tent fire footage on YouTube I keep the gas stuff well away from the tent but I saw loads of people cooking in the front part of their tents and one family with the cooker right in the bit by the sleeping compartments.

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Blu · 15/08/2011 20:35

Oh, poor family, Sad.

When forced to cook in our 'porch' in the rain last weekend I wouldn't allow DS to be further back in the tent, i.e with the cooker between him and the exit. Cooking in the tent terrifies me.

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EssexVic · 15/08/2011 21:34

We always camp with a fishing umbrella to cook under WELL AWAY FROM OUR TENT just incase on bad weather, as its something im really paranoid about, saw a tent go up in seconds from a freak gust of wind when i was younger and it haunts me!

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Lilyloo · 15/08/2011 21:56

How are the gas camping heaters different from using a stove to heat your tent ?

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BirdOfPassage · 15/08/2011 22:02

All gas camping heaters will carry a warning about carbon monoxide. None of them are strictly safe for inside tents.

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Ephiny · 15/08/2011 22:14

I wouldn't use a gas heater inside the tent either, personally, and only use battery powered lanterns. Maybe over-cautious, but better safe than sorry IMO. Have never felt the need for heating in a tent anyway, always found a good mat and sleeping bag are enough to keep me warm, though admittedly don't tend to go camping in proper winter conditions!

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JetLi · 16/08/2011 04:36

Sad how awful. Thanks for highlighting this again seashells.

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drowninginlaundry · 16/08/2011 20:19

Such a sad story and well worth highlighting. I did a polar expedition recently with full on winter camping in the high Arctic where we obviously cooked inside the tent, and it was rammed into us not ever leave the stove on if not sitting upright. Apparently on cold weather expeditions CO is responsible for more deaths than exposure.
Poor family, what a horrible end to their holiday Sad

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lisad123 · 16/08/2011 21:28

my husband is going to be turning off the gas every night this year :( We have a gas fridge in our camoer but we never use it as Im too afraid too, just incase.

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victoriasmith · 16/08/2011 21:31

does anyone know whether it would be safe to use a hurricane lantern inside a tent as lighting?

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AngryFeet · 16/08/2011 21:34

This makes me so nervous. We are camping at the moment and dh made a cup of tea this morning using the one ring burner. Did this just outside the tent - about 1 metre from the side door which stayed open for another hour (no other doors open) then the tent was closed all day and the one side door has been open for the last 3 hours. Kids are now in bed. Are we at risk here?

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Lilyloo · 16/08/2011 21:41

We always use our gas heater when non electric just to warm up tent whilst we get pj's on and when adults are sat chatting if we can't have camp fire. I guess you just think they are safe because camping places sell them for that purpose.

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talkingnonsense · 16/08/2011 21:44

Please don't cook even near to the tent, my parents were cooking outside and away from the canopy when something ( I suspect a spark or gust of wind) caused the tent to ignite and I was inside it. I wasn't burnt but frankly I don't know how and it gave me a fear of fire I still have today, 30 years on. Go as far away as you think safe, and then a bit further, and always have a bucket of water ready.

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AngryFeet · 16/08/2011 21:55

I have just opened the doors on both sides of the tent to air it as I am freaking out! Kids already asleep in pod with door open.

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Lilyloo · 16/08/2011 21:59

Angryfeet you will be fine , don't panic. He did cooking outside , any harmful gas will have dispersed into the air. We have just come back from 3 nights camping and used a gas heater in the tent for 3 nights all doors closed and we , and dc's are all fine. Thankfully these things are very rare given how many people go camping and use heaters , stoves in tents.
Enjoy your hol

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AngryFeet · 16/08/2011 22:09

Thanks, I am a terrible worrier anyway! Was worried last night that since the kids are in the bedroom on the other end of the tent to us that someone might slice the end of the tent and abduct them!

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AngryFeet · 16/08/2011 22:09

Thanks, I am a terrible worrier anyway! Was worried last night that since the kids are in the bedroom on the other end of the tent to us that someone might slice the end of the tent and abduct them!

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Lilyloo · 16/08/2011 22:11

I am with you on that , not quite the slicing tent thing Grin
I share with dd2 , dp shares with dd1 ( i am more worried one of them would walk out of the tent tbh)
Saying that ds has always been in a room by himself and has been fine.

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omnishambles · 16/08/2011 22:13

Thats terrifying - what happens when you go glamping then and theres a 2-ring burner inside the yurt for tea etc - is it a big enough, not sealed like a tent space to not be of a concern?

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