A 60-year-old man had to be hospitalised on Saturday because of carbon monoxide poisoning, Brussels’ fire department officials said.
The cause of the incident was a faulty gas burner in the cellar of an apartment building in Ixelles.
Fire services were called at around midday on Saturday to respond to a call after a man had collapsed in an apartment on Rue Victor Greyson.
“When the paramedics entered the ground floor flat, their CO (carbon monoxide) detector immediately went off,” a fire service spokesperson said.
Rescue workers evacuated three people from the house. Two of them were treated at the scene, but one man, in his 60s, had to be taken to the hospital.
The gas supply immediately cut off and sealed by Sibelga.
The spokesperson added with a reminder that “it is necessary to have heating appliances installed by a certified technician, to carry out required maintenance and compulsory checks, and also to ensure that combustion gases are properly evacuated, with a ventilation system and regular airing of rooms.”
It is also useful to have CO detectors installed and, above all, to react immediately in the event of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches or sudden fatigue. “Open the windows, evacuate the people present and ask for help by dialling 112.” the spokesman advised.
