Saved by anxious neighbor

Last Wednesday a 25-year-old woman escaped death due to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty catalyst converter.

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“I waited in the car for it to melt, and then it was Darkening. I did not understand anything when I woke up in the hospital, ”said Sarah Amora, a French kinesiology student living in Quebec.

That morning, as Pierre Bilodeau was removing snow from his balcony, he noticed the teenager’s car was running for a while.

Seeing that there was still a lot of fog in the windows – a sign that someone was inside – he approached to see if everything was fine.

It was then that Ms. Amoura found herself breathless, slumped in her seat, her cell phone still open in her hand.

“I immediately opened the doors and turned off the engine.

“When emergency services called, I tried to shake her up, but there was no answer,” he said. Piloto recalled.

Defective catalyst

Sarah Amura, who had been in the province for a year for her studies, bought an old second-hand car before winter.

A week before the incident, a garage told him that his car’s catalyst had broken down, but there was no short-term danger. That was a big mistake.

A portion of the toxic gases emitted from the car were returned to the passenger compartment.

All of this was helped by small holes in the bottom of the car and a certain amount of snow that had accumulated around it.

“The doctor told me that if I had 10 more minutes, I would die.

“Chance I had a guardian angel,” the student underlined referring to his neighbor.

A secret product

Ms. Amura, who was shocked by the incident, did not go to her car after that.

He is also thinking about filing a complaint against the garage who said there was no problem.

“I thought I could trust him. I know nothing about cars. I’m sure I hate him,” he said.

Mrs. Amora and Mr. Piloto believes their story will raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide not being properly emitted.

“I told myself at first that this would only happen to others, but it was a secret gas.

“I did not plan to die that day,” the young woman concludes.

What is carbon monoxide (CO)?

• Carbon monoxide is released when devices or vehicles burn specific fuels.
• It is a toxic gas that does not cause any odor or irritation to the eyes or airways.
• Its presence can only be detected by a carbon monoxide alarm.

Effects of CO on air

• 200 parts per million (ppm) = Headache 2 to 3 hours after exposure.
• 600-700 ppm = Headache and nausea 1 hour after exposure.
• 1600 ppm = Symptoms in 20 minutes. Loss of consciousness, coma and death 2 hours after exposure.
• 3200 ppm = Symptoms in 5 minutes. Risk of coma and death within 30 minutes.
• 6400 ppm = Symptoms appear in 1-2 minutes. Risk of coma and death within 15 minutes.

Source: Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS)