5 teens dead in motel room. left car with faulty starter running in garage beneath room

[Liberal_in_LA]

Five teenagers who died of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a Hialeah, Florida, motel room had gathered to celebrate a birthday, police said Tuesday.

Although an official cause of death won't be released until autopsies are completed, the investigation so far shows the teenagers apparently died because they left a car with a troublesome starter running in a closed garage beneath their room, police spokesman Carl Zogby said.

"Unfortunately, whoever could tell us what the intent of leaving the car on (was) is dead," Zogby said. "But we are being told by some friends that it probably had starter engine trouble."

"All the evidence indicates clearly a carbon monoxide poisoning," he said, noting no alcohol or drugs were found in the room the five had rented at the Hotel Presidente.

Zogby identified the dead as Juchen C. Marctial, 19; Peterson Nazon, 17; Jonas Antenor, 17; Jean Pierre Ferdinand, 16; and Evans Charles, 19. All were from the same neighborhood north of Miami, according to police.
Five teenagers who died of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a Hialeah, Florida, motel room had gathered to celebrate a birthday, police said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/28/florida.motel.death/index.html?iref=NS1

[pipi_k]

1. So sad, and lots of unanswered questions...

First of them being why on EARTH would any motel, hotel, etc. have a garage attached beneath it.

I mean, come ON!!!

Attached garages...worst idea ever!


Were there signs warning people not to leave cars running due to danger of CO poisoning?

Hadn't their parents ever talked with them about CO poisoning?

Didn't those young men smell the fumes?

Didn't any of the other motel guests smell fumes that may have leaked through walls?


Yes, CO is colorless and odorless, but geez...car fumes!!! It's not like those don't smell!


very very sad.
:(

[Statistical]

4. The danger with CO is that it is very small molecule.

So the paint/insulation/flooring in the floor/ceiling would act as a barrier catching larger particles like unburnt fuel and other impurities (which is what you "smell" from car exhaust).

The CO would easily pass through that "barrier". There may not have been much car "odor" in the room until CO concentrations were large enough to make cognitive thought difficult. That combined with alcohol likes means they slept soundly until CO concentrations became lethal.

[spanone]

5. says there was 'no' alcohol

[Statistical]

7. Oops. Still CO posions causes symptoms similar to drinking.

Poor judgement, difficulty thinking, loss of motor control, eventually unconsciousness, and then death.

The only thing that could have prevented this is a CO detector. I have two at home (one on each floor). Never understood why motel need to have fire alarms but no CO detectors.

[pipi_k]

9. Which makes it even stupider

to have a garage attached to any other building

[LisaL]

12. A lot of private houses around here have attached garages.

[LisaL]

8. I thought not leaving a car running was common knowledge.

Of course if they didn't actually own cars (they borrowed this one from a friend), they might have not known that the car shouldn't be left running.

[pipi_k]

10. Young kids...

We always have to remember that things that are common knowledge aren't so commonly known to young people.

Even basic common sense isn't a given when we're dealing with teenagers, unfortunately...

[BobbyBoring]

11. Here's the problem

What WE (as in people who think) feel is common knowledge is not. Thought and common sense is about non existent in todays youth. What makes this story most tragic is these kids apparently never gave a thought to the fact that they would all die unless this was one of those bizarre group suicides.

It's also tragic there were no carbon monoxide censors. They are required in motels in Ocean City, MD after a few family members died in a motel that had a gas leak. Of course, if you don't have a carbon monoxide source other than running cars, they wouldn't be required~

[LisaL]

14. It doesn't look like suicide.

They borrowed a car from a friend and apparently were afraid it wouldn't start if they turned it off, so they left it running.

[virgogal]

2. Sad,sad story. I pray for their families.

[tabasco]

3. Near disaster averted at West Virginia hotel

http://www.pocahontastimes.com/news/story/five-overcome-by-carbon-monoxide-at-snowshoe/202838

If this had happened in the middle of the night, dozens could have been killed.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. A buddy of mine who is an ER doc saved some hotel guest by ...

... thinking on his feet and putting two and two together. He had an elderly couple show up in his ER one morning with "flu like" symptoms and chest pains. In conversation, they mentioned they were traveling and stayed in a local motel on the highway. Before he had the labs back he sent the fire department to the hotel to find several guests unresponsive. Everyone made it.

Now I'm off to Home Depot to replace my CO detectors and add a fire alarm.

[niyad]

15. thank goodness for your very smart, very caring buddy

[Odin2005]

6. Oh no!

:(