Fuel-Powered Heater Found Operating Inside Vehicle
Extreme Caution Needed When Heating in Enclosed Spaces
A tragic accident occurred during so-called “car camping,” where people sleep in their vehicles, on the winter slopes of Taebaek, Gangwon Province. On the 18th, Yonhap News reported, citing the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Fire Headquarters, that a man and a woman, both believed to be in their 60s, were found dead in a vehicle connected to a car camping tent. The accident took place at around 2:36 p.m. that day in the parking lot at the entrance to the Yuilsa Temple trail in Taebaeksan National Park, Mungok-Sodo-dong, Taebaek City, where the two had been staying overnight in their vehicle and were discovered dead inside.
On the 18th, a paramedic checked a vehicle at the parking lot of Yuilsa Temple in Taebaeksan National Park. Gangwon Fire Headquarters
The vehicle involved in the accident was a sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a car camping tent attached. A passerby noticed something unusual, reporting that “the vehicle’s engine kept running, but there was no movement inside.” The Taebaek Fire Station paramedics responded urgently, removed the tent, and checked the interior of the vehicle, where they found the man and woman already in a state of rigor mortis. Paramedics immediately attempted emergency treatment, but both had already passed away.
It was determined that a fuel-powered heater was operating inside the vehicle at the scene. The windows were closed, and the tent was connected in a sealed state. The paramedics handed the situation over to the police. According to medical advice from Professor Seo of Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, “carbon monoxide poisoning is strongly suspected.” The police are investigating the exact cause and circumstances of death, including whether there were any issues with the use of the vehicle’s heater or the tent’s structure.
Sleeping with a brazier or stove inside a tent greatly increases the risk of death
As winter car camping and cold-weather camping become more popular, accidents involving oxygen deficiency and carbon monoxide poisoning during the use of heating devices continue to occur. Carbon monoxide, known as the “silent killer,” is a gas produced by incomplete combustion. It is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and non-irritating, making it difficult to detect even at high concentrations. When the concentration reaches 2,000 ppm, it can cause unconsciousness and lead to death within one to two hours.
During winter car camping and cold-weather camping, caution is needed to prevent oxygen deficiency and carbon monoxide poisoning accidents while using heating devices. Photo by The Asia Business Daily
When a kerosene heater, commonly used to raise the indoor temperature during winter camping, was operated in a sealed tent, carbon monoxide levels rose to 43 ppm in just 35 minutes. After 50 minutes, the oxygen concentration dropped to 14.7%. In normal air, the oxygen concentration is about 21%. If this level falls below 16%, breathing and pulse rate increase, and symptoms such as headache and nausea can occur. In particular, parking heaters, which are frequently used during car camping, can also be dangerous in enclosed environments, so extreme caution is required when using them.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
