Letters
Toxicology
Volume 198 - Issue 2

Carbon monoxide-induced death and toxicity from charcoal briquettes

Authors:  Jared A Brown and Nick A Buckley

Med J Aust 2013; 198 (2): 86. || doi: 10.5694/mja12.11569
Published online: 4 February 2013
Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of burning charcoal briquettes has continued despite the introduction of mandatory warnings.
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To the Editor: Winder describes a death from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning caused by burning charcoal briquettes as a heat source indoors.1 We wish to highlight that this case was not an isolated incident in Australia. The NSW Poisons Information Centre has been consulted on 46 cases (from 20 incidents; see Box) of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal in enclosed spaces since 2004: three cases in 2004, none in 2005, eight in 2006, one in 2007, none in 2008, seven in 2009, four in 2010, 18 in 2011, and five in 2012.

Twelve incidents occurred in New South Wales, five in Victoria, two in Queensland and one in South Australia. Most of the people affected were adults (27/45), although age ranged from 8 months to 70 years, and most were male (18/30). All but one person required hospitalisation. Headache, nausea, vomiting and dizziness were the most commonly reported symptoms but eight people had collapsed and/or lost consciousness.

All poisonings resulted from intentionally burning charcoal (most often in barbecues) indoors for heating and occurred at night. Nearly all of the incidents occurred during winter. Seventeen were in homes, two were in tents and one was in a caravan.

The coroner’s recommendation, in December 2010, that all barbecue charcoal briquettes carry a warning2 appears to have had no favourable impact on the number of incidents of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from these briquettes. A review of compliance with these warnings, and their visibility and readability, is necessary to understand why they are ignored or missed. In addition, the possibility of using targeted safety messages in cooler months should be considered.

Charcoal briquette-associated carbon monoxide poisoning incidents per month, 2004–2012

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