WINNIPEG — Carbon monoxide has killed a man who was at work in St. Boniface earlier this week.
Lombard North Group, a landscape architecure firm, operates out of the Tache Ave. office building where the man died.
There were no carbon monoxide alarms in the building but legally they didn’t have to be there, said fire commissioner Dave Schafer.
“This is not a location where people are sleeping, so people are usually awake and that’s where we put the emphasis,” said Schafer.
The man was found passed out from a presumed heart attack and taken to hospital, where he died. An autopsy has since confirmed the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.
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A day later up to 20 people started to feel sick and the business was evacuated. One person was taken to hospital.
“When you have a number of people feeling the same way then I think it helped them understand that something else was wrong here,” said Schafer.
The fire investigation found a vent cover on the chimney had collapsed preventing the chimney to vent properly.
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The fire commissioner is reminding people and businesses to make sure furnaces and chimneys are working properly. Carbon monoxide detectors should also be checked every six months.
Common symptoms of poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
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