Carbon monoxide from generator kills 1, hospitalizes 2 after Laurel County outage
One woman is dead and two people were hospitalized on Tuesday after a generator caused carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a Laurel County volunteer fire department.
Responders were called to a house on Spring Cut Circle in Laurel County just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday for a report of three people with carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator that had been running in a garage area with no ventilation, according to Lily Fire & Rescue. The home had lost power because of recent winter weather.
The family had used the generator to help power a basement sump pump, according to Kentucky State Police.
A couple and their grandchild were in the home and were taken to local hospitals. The woman, identified as 61-years-old Darlene G. Skinner, was pronounced dead at Baptist Health Corbin, according to state police. Her husband, Tony Ragland, and their grandchild were transferred to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital in Lexington for treatment and have since been released.
Generators should be used outdoors only, and they should be used at least 20 feet away from windows, according to safety guidelines.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 10:21 AM.
