Carbon monoxide poisoning blamed for death of elderly couple, pet

DAVIE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Carbon monoxide poisoning has claimed the life of an elderly couple after they left their van running inside their garage overnight.

Davie Police said the 83-year-old woman left the van running while she helped her wheelchair-bound husband get out of the car by using a motorized lift. She then wheeled him into their home at 3171 Overlook Road and forgot to turn the car off.

Sunday morning, the woman opened the garage door and the couple and a pet were overcome by an enormous amount of carbon monoxide that had built up overnight.

Authorities said a tragedy like this one is preventable by purchasing a carbon monoxide detector for their home. "They sell these alarms at any of the local hardware stores," said Davie Police Lieutenant Bill Coyne. "The fire departments recommend that you not only get a smoke and fire alarm, but that you get a carbon monoxide alarm-- and they're not very expensive-- especially to put them up near the garage. So at least some kind of audible warning will go off way in advance before the carbon monoxide succumbs the whole house."

Investigators said neighbors reported that the elderly woman had left the van running before.

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