Woman dead after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at Salmon Arm campground

A woman is dead and a youth is in critical condition after a “likely” carbon monoxide poisoning at a Salmon Arm campground, Saturday morning.

RCMP and B.C. Emergency Health Services both confirm they were called to Sandy Point Campground around 10:15 a.m.

Cpl. Chris Manseau with the RCMP said they found an adult woman and a youth in a tent, where a wood-burning camping stove was discovered burning inside.

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The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the youth was airlifted to hospital after several people attempted to perform first aid.

Three ground ambulances were also deployed, along with fire and RCMP crews, who remained on scene to investigate along with the B.C. Coroners Service.

Manseau later confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning from the camping stove was most likely responsible.

It’s believed the pair had been camping and went to bed around midnight with the stove on as a source of heat.

“At this point, it’s a coroner’s investigation and we don’t believe there was anything suspicious about this,” he said.

The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed they were investigating the death of a woman in her 30s, but would not provide more information.

Calls to the campground itself were not answered.

HealthLink BC and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control say carbon monoxide poisoning happens when the colourless, odourless gas builds up in a person’s bloodstream.

The carbon monoxide replaces the oxygen in the blood, which can lead to serious health damage and possibly death.

“Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer because it cannot be seen or smelled,” HealthLink BC says on its website. “If you breathe too much of it, it can become deadly within minutes.”

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Symptoms can include headache, dizziness and nausea, and can heighten to include vision problems, chest pain and even seizures.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented with a CO detector, along with ensuring portable gas appliances aren’t used indoors and that rooms are properly vented.

More information on carbon monoxide poisonings can be found here.

—With files from Jules Knox