KANSAS CITY, MO – A suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incident in Kansas City on Saturday morning resulted in the death of three men, while another is in a critical state. The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department discovered the victims around 6:50 a.m. while responding to a carbon monoxide report at a residence on Fuller Avenue.
Firefighters discovered three deceased Hispanic men, aged between 20 and 40. Another man, in his 30s, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Fire officials suspect an indoor generator as the source of the carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas because it displaces oxygen in the blood, depriving the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen. Often termed the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless and can go undetected without an effective alarm.
This incident follows a similar one last Wednesday at Washington State College, where one student died and two others fell ill due to an apparent carbon monoxide leak. Last month in Kansas City, carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas-powered generator running inside a home resulted in the deaths of two men and a teenage male.
Kansas City Fire Department spokesman Michael Hopkins had previously warned about the dangers of gas generators. He emphasized the importance of operating them outside to ensure proper ventilation, as even a small gas-powered engine emits carbon monoxide. While the amount may be small, it can build up in the system over time and become lethal.