The New Hampshire fire marshal’s office says 12 people in that state have died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the last three years, including a father and son who were found dead in their home last week.
Authorities confirmed yesterday that 55-year-old Robert Pardy and his 16-year-old son Cody died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The problem was traced to a broken vent pipe for a propane furnace.
State Fire Marshal William Degnan said the deaths should serve as a reminder of the importance of installing carbon monoxide detectors and having all heating equipment inspected and serviced annually.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the gas causes 500 unintentional deaths nationwide each year and 15,000 non-fatal poisonings.