The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement yesterday that a 57-year-old male non-resident worker (NRW) employed as a waiter suffered from carbon monoxide (CO1) poisoning while he was cooking.
According to the statement, the victim is a Philippine national working in a restaurant.
The statement said that the victim lit the gas stove in the restaurant’s kitchen to do some cooking at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, adding that he had switched on the ventilation equipment and opened the window while he was cooking.
The victim showed symptoms of dizziness at around 9 p.m. and went to the private Kiang Wu Hospital for emergency treatment, where he was diagnosed with “carbon monoxide poisoning”, according to the statement.
The bureau has notified the relevant entities to follow up on the incident, the statement noted, while urging people to use gas stoves with care.
The statement underlined that when using gas appliances, one must ensure that the area is well ventilated, otherwise, it is “very easy” to suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning.
In order to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, the bureau urged people to take precautions, such as choosing quality gas appliances and using them properly and installing carbon monoxide alarms in areas where there is a high risk of suffering carbon monoxide poisoning. The bureau also urged those who believe that they are affected by carbon monoxide poisoning to stay calm, leave the room immediately, go to an open area, loosen their clothing and seek medical care promptly.
Image courtesy of Seattle Fire Department
