Invisible killer scare at Littleham holiday park

A FAMILY of four holidaymakers at Sandy Bay were checked out for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning on Sunday morning.

Although fire crews found no trace of the dangerous gas that can kill in minutes, the scare has promoted ambulance chiefs to warn residents to check out their gas appliances as the weather gets colder.

A spokesman for Devon Cliffs Holiday Park confirmed that the family checked themselves into the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

An alarm in one of the caravans went off waking up the family and fire and ambulance crews attended the scene at 3.30am on Sunday.

He said: “The fire service and the gas inspectors couldn’t find any trace of carbon monoxide.

“They drove themselves to hospital as a precaution.

“They returned the next morning to continue their holiday and we moved them to another caravan.”

Exmouth Fire chief Mike White confirmed that two adults and two children were sleeping in the caravan at the time “An alarm went off and we ventilated the caravan.

“We don’t know if it was a defective alarm.”

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust confirmed that the scare was just one of a number relating to carbon monoxide poisoning recently.

“I guess it’s the time of year when fires are put on for the first time in a while and chimneys are blocked or appliances need servicing.”

Typical symptoms are headaches, dizziness and nausea usually from faulty or poorly maintained gas or solid fuel heating appliances.

“The gas is tasteless, odourless, and colourless and its effects can result in disability or death,” he added.

“If you have these symptoms and think you may have suffered CO poisoning or if a number of people in the same location suffer symptoms simultaneously, you should leave the property, turning off all gas appliances first and then seek medical attention.”