An elderly person became ill due to carbon monoxide poisoning in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht after using a barbecue cooker indoors, the Brussels fire brigade reported.
Emergency services were called out after a person became unwell on Rue du Birmingham in Anderlecht around 20:40 on Monday night. Upon entering the flat, the rescue team's carbon monoxide alarm was immediately triggered, prompting an evacuation while additional help from other services was requested.
"The flat was not connected to the gas network and the residents were cooking with a cooker connected to a gas bottle. But as the bottle was empty, they used a BBQ, set up in the bathroom, to cook, causing the production of carbon monoxide (CO)," the fire brigade's spokesperson Walter Derieuw said in a statement.
The unwell senior citizen was transferred to the hospital for treatment while the fire brigade ventilated the premises and checked the adjacent flats.
Rising CO victims
Figures from 2022 showed that CO poisoning is responsible for an increasing number deaths in Belgium. Authorities believed this spike was a result of rising heating costs, resulting in people not opening windows and doors and trying to cut costs by using cheaper fuels and heating methods, such as a barbecue as a heater.
Following this latest incident, Derieuw again stressed that people should never use a BBQ or a fire pit indoors, as there is no ventilation and no sufficient supply of fresh air. Every year from October onwards, the number of CO victims gradually rises to a peak during the winter months.
"The danger of CO is that you can't see or smell it. This is why it is also called the 'silent killer'. Every year, there are nearly a thousand victims of CO poisoning and, unfortunately, there are always some deaths."
The first symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness and nausea. "If you experience this, ventilate the room as quickly as possible by opening a window or door. Then leave the room and call 112," Derieuw warned, adding that people should watch out for these symptoms.
If a person does not react quickly, additional symptoms may occur such as feelings of weakness, confusion and even unconsciousness that could eventually lead to a coma or death.
The Brussels fire brigade has called on residents to ensure their heating system is installed by a certified technician and is checked annually to provide continuous fresh air in their home and to hang a CO detector in every room with a combustion appliance and/or smoke outlet.
"Additionally, never use a BBQ or fire basket in the house and do not use portable gas or petrol heaters."
