Quick Start Guide Natural Gas Utilities

SECTION 03: KEY SAFETY MESSAGES

Incidents • A mother left her two children in a home heated with only a space heater. The mother set the heater to “medium.” The two children were overcome by CO. The heater control was found set to “high” when the children were found unconscious later that day. Investigation revealed that the heater was emitting dangerous levels of CO at over 2000 ppm. The space heater was not vented to the outside as required. Three days prior to the incident, natural gas service had been initiated to the house. The gas technician followed the company turn-on procedures, told the customer not to use the space heater, as it might need to be vented, and left the heater turned off at a valve. Within 15 minutes after the technician left the premises, the mother lit the heater and used it continuously. Both children were seriously injured. • A fire destroyed a small building, killing five children and seriously injuring four other people. The dwelling had originally been built as a horse barn and had no heating system. The landlord improperly installed a furnace in the kitchen as a space heater. As a result of the improper installation, there was a flame rollout that ignited a nearby pile of clothes. A Public Safety Communications Program that educates the public about how and where to use space heaters safely can help prevent incidents. Additionally, natural gas utility representatives have the opportunity to observe and, if qualified, correct the dangerous usage of space heaters when they enter customer premises, light pilots, service natural gas appliances, or otherwise witness natural gas appliance installation and operation.