Calgary man succumbs to poisonous fumes

Officials are again warning people to install carbon monoxide detectors aftera Calgary man was poisonedby the odourless gas.

Rescue crews were called toa company calledWhite Ice, which makes paint and equipment for ice surfaces,in the Foothills Industrial Park Thursday afternoon. They found carbon monoxide levels16 times higher than what's considered safe.

The owner of the shop, 61-year-old Don Demorest, was found unconscious inside. Witnesses said had been driving a forklift with the warehouse doors closed. He died in hospital Thursday night.

An 18-year-old man is in serious but stable condition, while four others are in stable, non-life threatening condition.

Calgary police are investigating, but fire officials acknowledged the forklift may have been a factor.

Barrie Harrison, spokesman for Alberta Occupational Health and Safety,said all businesses are required to provide proper venting as well as warning systems if the ventilation is not working.

The last time someone died in an Alberta workplace fromcarbon monoxidepoisoning was 2001.

In December, an elderly Calgary couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning after a car was accidentally left running in their attached garage. Their son and eight emergency responders were sent to hospital.

Since that case, Calgary firemen are now required to wear breathing equipment in any building where it's unclear what's happening, and to carry portable detectors on every call.

The fire department is also pushing the province to change safety regulations to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in homes.

"It took years to get smoke detectors to be mandatory in the residential setting. Now there is a campaign starting to go down the same route for carbon monoxide detectors," said Steve Dongworth, deputy chief of the Calgary Fire Department.