RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

2010-03-12 04:32:40 - HAZMAT - Spain

EDIS CODE: HZ-20100312-25290-ESP
Date & Time: 2010-03-12 04:32:40 [UTC]
Area: Spain, Province of Girona, Girona-wide,

Number of death person(s): 1
Number of Injured person(s): 105
Damage level: Heavy (Level 3)

Not confirmed information!

Description:

Around 105 people in the province of Girona have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning through using gas heaters in a poor condition to warm up their homes. One woman has died as a result. Some of the worst snow storms in history have left most of Catalunya without electricity, even certain hotels in the city of Barcelona. In Girona alone, around 220,000 households are without power. And hospital staff have already had to treat over 100 people for carbon monoxide poisoning due to faulty gas heaters. The most serious was a 41-year-old woman who died late on Wednesday evening at her home in Ultramort (Girona) as a result of smoke coming from a faulty electrical generator. Her father, 70, was also affected, and is in hospital in a serious condition. Most of those affected are in the counties of Baix Empordà and La Selva, of which six had to be placed in a hyperbaric chamber in Palamós Hospital. The department of health has warned everyone who uses generators or gas heaters to ensure there is plenty of ventilation, and that generators are installed outside the home. Even most of the health centres are now using generators, including those in Tossa de Mar.

Posted:2010-03-12 04:32:40 [UTC]