Carbon monoxide-induced death and toxicity from charcoal briquettes

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.