14-Year-Old Boy Collapses in Anderlecht; Carbon Monoxide Alarm Prompts Evacuation of 15 Residents

Anderlecht (Eurotoday): A 14-year-old boy lost consciousness while showering on Odonstraat in Anderlecht, causing a carbon monoxide alarm. Emergency teams evacuated 15 residents. The boy was taken to the hospital but is safe. They found problems with the heating system and shared tips to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

On 27 November around 7:20 PM, the fire department received a call about a medical emergency in Odonstraat, Anderlecht. A 14-year-old boy had fainted while showering. When a special ambulance team arrived, the carbon monoxide detector went off, leading to the evacuation of the whole building. Emergency teams, ambulances, and police helped the 15 residents.

How do people prevent carbon monoxide poisoning?

According to the spokesperson everyone was checked, but only the boy who fainted needed medical help and was taken to the hospital, though he was not in danger. The heating and hot water system had many problems, including not being safe and not venting gas properly, so the gas meters were turned off. The police checked if the other 14 residents needed to be moved, but they could return to their homes.

The fire brigade shared four simple tips to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. First, have a safe heating device installed and checked every year. Second, make sure gas can escape and there’s fresh air. Third, install carbon monoxide detectors. If you feel sick or tired, open the windows, get everyone out, and call emergency 112.