A Sarnia family may be alive today because there was a working carbon monoxide detector in the home.
Sarnia Fire Rescue Service Public Education Officer Mike Otis says crews responded to an alarm just after 5am Monday in the 1100 block of O'Rae Ave.
"They found CO levels of 250 parts per million which is very high, so if that family didn't have a working CO alarm, this could have been a much worse ending," says Otis.
"This is a scary reminder of why we need CO alarms."
Carbon monoxide is an odourless by-product of incomplete combustion of fuels like natural gas, propane and gasoline.
CO alarms are now mandatory.
They should be installed in all sleeping areas and in service rooms.
If firefighters are called to a home and there is no CO detector, a fine of $360 could be levied.
