A fire inspector on Prince Edward Island is warning of carbon monoxide dangers as residents use generators to keep warm on their 17th-straight day without power.
Charlottetown Fire Inspector Winston Bryan says his team has responded to about 284 calls for assistance since post-tropical storm Fiona tore past the province on Sept. 24, knocking down trees and power lines across the Island.
He said in an interview that about 25 per cent of those calls were for carbon monoxide alarms, mostly related to people improperly using generators as they wait for power to be restored.
Bryan says typically, less than five per cent of calls are related to carbon monoxide.
He’s reminding residents to have their generators outside their homes at least five feet away from windows or other air intake spots, with the exhaust pointing away from the house or window.
As of 3 p.m. local time, Maritime Electric’s website said about 4,100 accounts were still without power, and a company official said on the weekend that it could be until Friday before the last account is restored.