Exhaust fumes likely killed Thai mother, child

[webfact]

Exhaust fumes likely killed mother, child
Kornkamol Aksorndej
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE TRAGIC deaths last Friday night of a woman and her five-year-old son, who were found unconscious inside a car with the engine still running, may have been caused by a defective exhaust pipe that filled their vehicle with toxic fumes, a Traffic Police Division expert said yesterday.

They were pronounced dead at the hospital.

"Tests revealed that the amount of toxic gas inside the vehicle exceeds the legally-allowed limit, and could be the cause of the deaths," said Pol Lt-General Somyos Abniam.

Suttida Sakunoang had left the car engine running so she and her son could use the air-conditioning as they slept.

On Tuesday, police conducted a test and found that toxic gas leaked into the vehicle when the engine turned on. A further test was conducted yesterday.

Anekpon Saenghirun, an expert and an advisor to the Traffic Police Division, said after the examination that the joint of the vehicle's exhaust pipe had clearly malfunctioned for a while. "But because this defect didn't make any noise, the vehicle owner had not realised that something was wrong," he said.

According to Anekpon, the amount of carbon-monoxide in the vehicle reached 9.73 units - far higher than the legally-allowed 1.5 units.

"So, this toxic gas could be the cause of the deaths," he said. "Had they not slept, they might have smelled the fumes before it was too late".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Exhaust-fumes-likely-killed-mother-child-30271383.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-22

[jacko45k]

One wonders whether a carbon monoxide detector with alarm should be standard on cars.

[konfuzed]

time for a blanket ban (and enforcement) on leaving car engines idling while parked... save the city and save the people in the cars...

[asiamaster]

You can't smell carbon monoxide

[fishhooks]

Where were they parked, attempting to sleep?

[DrTuner]

Reminds me of the time I drove my FIL's car to inspection at the DLT. The exhaust was snapped in pieces under the car, still passed the inspection with no problems. Maibpenrai.

[doctormann]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

[EJK]

I have never seen anyone in the world leave a car running and go to sleep !!!

What craziness and the Thais leave there care running and leave the car for a chat or put air in tyres

These people need education on safety as they have none at all

[SOTIRIOS]

....why not advise people of the make and model of car....

...with a possible defect this could happen again....

...it does not look like a cheap car either....

[springheeled jack]

as I mentioned in a previous post I did state the cause of death would be inhaling exhaust fumes .

[masuk]

I have never seen anyone in the world leave a car running and go to sleep !!!

What craziness and the Thais leave there care running and leave the car for a chat or put air in tyres

These people need education on safety as they have none at all

If they were paying 200baht or more for fuel, they might think again.

I've also noticed that few if any cars are parked with a small gap in the windows, to allow very hot air to escape. It's the norm in tropical areas in Australia.

[X pat]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

No it is not.

[X pat]

​I see they are doing a exhaust emissions test,some they have never done here in Khon Kaen in all the times I have had to have an inspection. All they do is check the registration to make sure the car is not stolen.

[fred Kubasa]

1).If the auto had pollution controls the smell would have been negligble &

2).Cause of death should have been immediately evident as Cm poisining

causes flesh to turn bright red

[Bignose]

All of the previous contributors have made valid points but there is only one thing that is relevant.

This was a clear and tragic accident for the family concerned, there is nothing glaringly obvious that could have been spotted, an absolutely tragic accident.

Commiserations and condolences to the father, family and friends...

[8OA8]

time for a blanket ban (and enforcement) on leaving car engines idling while parked... save the city and save the people in the cars...

I guess you don't live in a tropical city

[doctormann]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

No it is not.

Well, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter seems to disagree with you.

DM

[HerbalEd]

time for a blanket ban (and enforcement) on leaving car engines idling while parked... save the city and save the people in the cars...

As if Thais would follow the ban.

[HerbalEd]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

So ... do you actually know said car had a catalytic converter?

[HerbalEd]

1).If the auto had pollution controls the smell would have been negligble &

2).Cause of death should have been immediately evident as Cm poisining

causes flesh to turn bright red

Actually, the skin turns pink and the lips turn bright red.

[doctormann]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

So ... do you actually know said car had a catalytic converter?

No and if it did have it might not have been working of course. Probably would have had a cat unless pretty old though - standard equipment for decades now, although maybe not in Thailand.

DM

[NCC1701A]

"On Tuesday, police conducted a test and found that toxic gas leaked into the vehicle when the engine turned on. A further test was conducted yesterday."

A police officer who is scheduled to testify in a police corruption case next week was chosen for the test. Yesterdays test was successful.

[Traveller45]

But isn't one of the jobs of a catalytic converter to change CO to CO2? Something wrong here.

DM

Yes, to the extent that the gas actually passes through them...!