No warning of deadly carbon monoxide gas

Cornwall — The elderly couple found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning Wednesday had no detector for the odorless gas that killed them.

If they had, they'd likely have survived, police and fire officials said yesterday.
The son of Joseph Lauctes, 86, and his wife, Eleanor, 74, found them dead on Wednesday afternoon. They hadn't called in more than a day so he stopped by to check on them.

They'd gone to bed and died in their sleep as the deadly gas filled their little white house on a Cornwall cul-de-sac at 12 Perry Road. Police who investigated the scene said a collapsed exhaust pipe in a wall-mounted gas heater was to blame.

By the time the Laucteses were found, carbon monoxide had filled the house to "very high levels, many times what would be considered lethal," said Cornwall fire Chief Pat Hines. But it's likely the Laucteses never knew.

"Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer," Hines said. "It's odorless, colorless, tasteless. The only way to know it's there is to have a carbon monoxide detector."

Detectors have been mandatory in any home built or sold in New York state since 2003. Older homes are not required to have one. But it's a good idea, Hines said. The detectors are readily available at department and hardware stores.

"We recommend a carbon monoxide detector in every house," he said.

On average, 500 people a year die from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It happens most often in the winter months, when people close windows and turn up heaters. It can also occur if portable generators, grills, camping heaters or kitchen stoves are used for heat.

If caught early enough, carbon monoxide poisoning can be treated. Symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea and flu-like symptoms.

But the key to catching it, experts say, is a simple, battery-powered detector. [www.transducertech.com]