Iowa County family survives CO poisoning scare

DODGEVILLE -- Poisoned by something they couldn't see or smell. An entire Iowa County family was treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. But a simple device could have warned them about it first.

Eight people including a responding officer were poisoned by the deadly gas that seeped through a Dodgeville home. When police arrived, the family was alive, but one of them was having a seizure. The culprit, a bird`s nest blocking an outside air intake leading to a natural gas heater.

Brian Manthey is the spokesman at We Energies and said leaks can happen anywhere and anytime of the year. "In the fall, leaves can collect in the area," said Manthey. "It`s very important to keep those vent pipes clear of anything. If you are running a charcoal grill in a garage, that can give off carbon monoxide and if it goes through the vent.'

Concerns also rise during the summer as we deal with storms and power outages.

"You definitely don`t want to run that gas powered generator indoors, or in the garage, that can still create a a carbon monoxide situation. Air flowing through the house through those vents and then you can have that carbon monoxide in the house too," said Manthey.

Firefighters are often called to the scene and find people feeling sick, but not realizing  it's a warning sign.

"Typically  a headache, nausea vomiting , some dizziness," added Steve Brennan, the North Shore Fire Battalion Chief.

To avoid succumbing to the deadly gas,  Brennan said getting a carbon monoxide detector is a must.

"It`s the only way you can protect yourself and your family," said Brennan.

As for the Dodgville incident, officials couldn't say if there was a carbon monoxide detector in the home. All of the family members were hospitalized are expected to be okay.  Fire officials suggest having your carbon monoxide detector checked every year and  battery replaced every 6 months.