Another day, seemingly the same headline. It’s carbon-monoxide poisoning season, with yet another hotel, this one in New Hampshire, having to be evacuated because of the deadly gas. Eleven people, including nine guests, became ill Monday because of high levels of the potentially fatal gas at a Hilton Hotel, according to the Associated Press.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iKAorwv0FwtdDpRsB4dTWQPyq8SQD9DT2C5O1
The Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Portsmouth, N.H., had to shut down Monday morning after a faulty exhaust vent in the basement boiler room leaked dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
Nine hotel guests and two hotel employees were hospitalized, and one was released Monday.
Authorities determined that the carbon monoxide level in the Hilton was 600 parts per million, when 35 to 45 parts per million are considered safe.
On Sunday a Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., was evacuated because of high levels of carbon monoxide. Four employees were hospitalized.
For more information on carbon monoxide poisoning, go to http://carbonmonoxide-poisoning.com
Gas Vent Dampers Recalled by Effikal Due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard
The recall involves Effikal RVGP-PC Gas Vent Damper size 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 which are installed with the gas boiler systems listed below. The vent damper date code is located on a sticker under the motor assembly cap on the plastic base. Serial numbers are located on a label on the side of the damper’s cap. All sizes and models of the RVGP-PC have the same motor assembly with black Effikal caps and black plastic bases.
(Media-Newswire.com) – WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Automatic Gas Vent Dampers
Units: About 45,000
Manufacturer: Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich.
Hazard: The automatic gas vent damper could fail, and if the blocked vent switch does not activate, the vent could leak carbon monoxide ( CO ). This poses a risk of CO poisoning to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recall involves Effikal RVGP-PC Gas Vent Damper size 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 which are installed with the gas boiler systems listed below. The vent damper date code is located on a sticker under the motor assembly cap on the plastic base. Serial numbers are located on a label on the side of the damper’s cap. All sizes and models of the RVGP-PC have the same motor assembly with black Effikal caps and black plastic bases.
Manufacturer Atmospheric Gas Boiler Models Vent Damper Date Codes Vent Damper Serial Numbers
Allied Engineering MG, MS and SG Series 0728 through 0809 3588428 through 3687571
Burnham Series 2b, Series 8h, and Independence
except Independence PV 0728-0738 3588428-3647820
Crown AWI, CWI and BSI Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Hydro Therm R/MR, VGA, VS and HW Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Laars JV Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Lochinvar CBN Solution Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
RBI Spectrum Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Smith GB and HW Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
New Yorker CG and CGS Series 0728-0738 3588428-3647827
Peerless MI, 63 and GM series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Raypak Series XV-42—180
Series V-181—260 and 182—261
Series VII-133 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Union Steam GWA and GSA 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Weil-McLain CGa, EG, and PFG Series 0728-0738 3588428-3647830
WilliamsonThermoflo GWA and GSA s 0728-0738 3588428-3647831
Sold by: Plumbing and heating wholesale distributors to plumbers and contractors nationwide from August 2007 through July 2008 for between $1,000 and $4,000 for the boilers. Gas vent dampers were sold as part of the gas boiler systems.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: : Consumers should immediately stop using the boilers, weather permitting, and contact their installer to confirm they have a recalled vent damper and to receive a free vent damper replacement.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Effikal toll-free at ( 866 ) 790-3739, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.effikal.com
(Media-Newswire.com) – WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Automatic Gas Vent Dampers
Units: About 45,000
Manufacturer: Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich.
Hazard: The automatic gas vent damper could fail, and if the blocked vent switch does not activate, the vent could leak carbon monoxide ( CO ). This poses a risk of CO poisoning to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The recall involves Effikal RVGP-PC Gas Vent Damper size 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 which are installed with the gas boiler systems listed below. The vent damper date code is located on a sticker under the motor assembly cap on the plastic base. Serial numbers are located on a label on the side of the damper’s cap. All sizes and models of the RVGP-PC have the same motor assembly with black Effikal caps and black plastic bases.
Manufacturer Atmospheric Gas Boiler Models Vent Damper Date Codes Vent Damper Serial Numbers
Allied Engineering MG, MS and SG Series 0728 through 0809 3588428 through 3687571
Burnham Series 2b, Series 8h, and Independence
except Independence PV 0728-0738 3588428-3647820
Crown AWI, CWI and BSI Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Hydro Therm R/MR, VGA, VS and HW Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Laars JV Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Lochinvar CBN Solution Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
RBI Spectrum Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Smith GB and HW Series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
New Yorker CG and CGS Series 0728-0738 3588428-3647827
Peerless MI, 63 and GM series 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Raypak Series XV-42—180
Series V-181—260 and 182—261
Series VII-133 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Union Steam GWA and GSA 0728-0809 3588428-3687571
Weil-McLain CGa, EG, and PFG Series 0728-0738 3588428-3647830
WilliamsonThermoflo GWA and GSA s 0728-0738 3588428-3647831
Sold by: Plumbing and heating wholesale distributors to plumbers and contractors nationwide from August 2007 through July 2008 for between $1,000 and $4,000 for the boilers. Gas vent dampers were sold as part of the gas boiler systems.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: : Consumers should immediately stop using the boilers, weather permitting, and contact their installer to confirm they have a recalled vent damper and to receive a free vent damper replacement.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Effikal toll-free at ( 866 ) 790-3739, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.effikal.com
Paraguay architect sentenced in deadly market fire
Date: 9/24/2008 8:06 PM
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) _ A Paraguayan court convicted an architect of negligence Wednesday and sentenced him to two years in prison for faulty construction of a supermarket where 420 people died in a fire.
The three-judge panel that convicted Bernardo Ismachowiez, 53, found that he was responsible for defective design and construction that placed lives at risk. Prosecutors said there were not enough emergency exits.
Ismachowiez’s lawyer, Adolfo Ferreiro, promised to seek his client’s immediate release, saying he has already spent two years under house arrest.
More than 2,000 people were in the Ycua Bolanos supermarket in downtown Asuncion on Aug. 1, 2004, when the fire began in the bakery. The blaze quickly filled the building with thick smoke, and most of the victims died of asphyxiation.
More than 150 relatives of the fire’s victims protested outside the courthouse Wednesday, accusing the judges of corruption and calling them “scoundrels.”
“Even though the conviction is historic because it’s the first time a builder will go to prison for negligence, it’s unfortunate he received so few years,” said the leader of a victims’ association, Liz Torres.
The store’s owners and a security guard were previously given prison terms for manslaughter and endangerment on accusations they blocked the exit to keep shoppers from looting during the chaos.
But a court overturned their convictions this month, citing “serious defects” in the trial. Prosecutors are appealing.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) _ A Paraguayan court convicted an architect of negligence Wednesday and sentenced him to two years in prison for faulty construction of a supermarket where 420 people died in a fire.
The three-judge panel that convicted Bernardo Ismachowiez, 53, found that he was responsible for defective design and construction that placed lives at risk. Prosecutors said there were not enough emergency exits.
Ismachowiez’s lawyer, Adolfo Ferreiro, promised to seek his client’s immediate release, saying he has already spent two years under house arrest.
More than 2,000 people were in the Ycua Bolanos supermarket in downtown Asuncion on Aug. 1, 2004, when the fire began in the bakery. The blaze quickly filled the building with thick smoke, and most of the victims died of asphyxiation.
More than 150 relatives of the fire’s victims protested outside the courthouse Wednesday, accusing the judges of corruption and calling them “scoundrels.”
“Even though the conviction is historic because it’s the first time a builder will go to prison for negligence, it’s unfortunate he received so few years,” said the leader of a victims’ association, Liz Torres.
The store’s owners and a security guard were previously given prison terms for manslaughter and endangerment on accusations they blocked the exit to keep shoppers from looting during the chaos.
But a court overturned their convictions this month, citing “serious defects” in the trial. Prosecutors are appealing.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Portable Carbon Monoxide Detectors
One of the greatest risks of carbon monoxide poisoning is staying at hotels and ski lodges. Sadly, most states do not mandate CO detectors in all hotel rooms. The solution? A portable carbon monoxide detector. Where to get one? Finding one is as easy as typing in “portable carbon monoxide detector” into Google, but for those who want to save the step, Click here.
But as most home detectors are something you can simply plug into a wall socket, there may be no need for a so called portable detector. Buy one more home detector and carry it with you and plug it in each time you stay. But if you are like me, you may wind up leaving it in a hotel room, once a month. The advantage of the portable units is that perhaps you can leave it in a conspicuous place so it is the first thing you pack.
But as most home detectors are something you can simply plug into a wall socket, there may be no need for a so called portable detector. Buy one more home detector and carry it with you and plug it in each time you stay. But if you are like me, you may wind up leaving it in a hotel room, once a month. The advantage of the portable units is that perhaps you can leave it in a conspicuous place so it is the first thing you pack.