Another probable carbon monoxide death

[BorisJohnsonsHair]

Just seen this report.

How tragic - I can't believe it's happened again.

Please, please be careful when camping everyone. Even if it's freezing, don't put your stoves/bbqs etc inside, it's just not worth it.

I was horrified to see this tragedy on the news last night. And it's the second this year. How awful. We have used our single ring stove in the porch area for our first cuppa of the day before the campfire gets going - no more.

So sad

Thank you Mary for copying and pasting the safety tips.

We have just got back from a very cold camping trip and could not have got by without our electric fan heater.

I was going to go out today to buy one of those gas heaters for our next trip to a site where this is no electricity ( fearing the weather for the Jubilee weekend will be just as cold as this weekend!) I think warmer sleeping bags and thermals will be the safer option!

I am wondering how far away we should store our BBQ from the tent to make sure the fumes don't find a way in.

i've been thinking... is it possible that the problem is that even when outside, disposable bbqs are often set low on the ground, so the CO can almost settle on the ground and get under the tent flaps? whereas those of us with gas bbqs etc tend to have them on a table? (not advocating cooking near to tent, obv, but i do remember with the wee girl who died, the bbq seemed reasonably far from the tent).

We only ever use the gas hob and grill in the camper, I won't even use the gas fire or fridge provided.
It's so sad, I met a woman once who's gas fire caught fire and they lost all their tent and husband badly burnt

It's feckin' awful. DH is very, very vigilant about dousing BBQs with water once we're done, and if we need heat it's via a fan heater on EHU.

I've always been a bit neurotic about CO poisoning.

So very sad :( every year we highlight the risks on this forum, but we are preaching to the knowledgeable. There needs to be a higher profile awareness campaign when you book onto sites.

I have been wondering about asking MNHQ to sticky a link to the C&CC site information. Not sure if they will but what do people think?

Ok, I've asked them, will see if we can do something on here. I hope that's ok for people.

How far away do you need to cook?

We are going camping for the first time and I am desperately trying to find useful info, especially on safety!

We have been camping many many times and we only just knew about the dangers. Awareness of this really needs to be raised and I thank the stars that luckily we been ok. My heart goes out to the families.

I've linked to some sites on the "friendly safety thread". MN won't sticky it, so we will have to keep it bumped throughout the season. I hope it helps :)

Thank you, have posted on that thread :)

Shit this is scary - I had no idea these things gave off fumes like this

We've been going camping for years and used gas lamps in the tent and disposable BBQ's. When it's pouring down you tend to cook in the entrance part.....

Agree more awareness is clearly required.

How safe is having a wood burning stove in a bell tent as I'd been considering getting one but a bit worried now. I know lots of people do have them, am I right in thinking that as long as its a properly designed stove and flue kit (so well ventilated) it will be fine. I don't want to risk anything if its dodgy.

Most wood burning stoves are enclosed ie, they have a door which shuts off the burning element from the interior of the tent, and rely on radiated heat through the body of the burner iteslf for heat, rather than the direct flame. The flue also takes all smoke and produced fumes out of the tent. But I would guess that you do need to make sure your set up is correct so that you dont get it blowing back down.
In addition bell tents and canvas tents are made from cotton, which is breathable to a certain extent, rather than the modern nylon tents which are not, which is why you can wake up really hot and sweaty in a nylon tent but not in a cotton one.

Thats what I was thinking. Good to know that sounds OK to someone else as well - thanks.

Viva, I agree with what Nettle said. Folk have been lighting fires, not even in stoves, just plain old fires in tipee/yurt style tents for aons. I'm sure the design would not have survived this long if people regularly succumed to CO. Saying that I very much doubt nomadic tent users of the past had sigs, so making sure your bell tent has plenty of ventilation would be important.

Totally different scenario when you have something lit in a modern day nylon tent with sig which at the end of the day is just a great big plastic bag.

My main concern with a stove in a bell would be the fire risk but with the right precautions you could minimise that.

Going to get a spark arrester for the flue, have got a wool blanket for the stove to stand on, will have a fire extinguisher as well.

There is now a safety poster campaign twitter.com/LynnCOAware/status/368281104618233856/photo/1