Man dies from carbon monoxide poisoning

PORTLAND, Ore. - A 64-year-old man was found dead and a woman was in critical condition Wednesday night after police said they were the victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Police said the death of Brian James Perry was accidental and involved the use of a natural gas heater with no ventilation at an apartment on Southeast 12th Avenue.

The man and woman were found by family members who had stopped by at about 7:30 p.m. to see the couple before they left on a trip.

It is unknown at this time if the two were husband and wife.

According to the Portland Fire Bureau, it appears the couple had sealed up the windows of their apartment so well with plastic and tape that there was no air draft to take the gas exhaust out through the ventilation system.

“Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer,” said Lt. Allen Oswalt of the Fire Bureau. “It has no taste; you can’t see it; you can’t smell it. The early-warning signs are headache and nausea, but if you’re sleeping, you won’t get that; you just won’t wake up.”

The woman was taken to Providence Medical Center which has a hypobaric chamber. That device is used in the treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Fire Bureau said the carbon monoxide level in the apartment was off the scale of its detectors.

The Fire Bureau said it wants to remind people to use carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.

There wasn’t one in the apartment.