Mother’s agony at gasfitter’s fatal shower mistake: ‘You killed my son’
The mother of a boy who died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a gasfitter signed off a hot water unit that shouldn’t have been installed says the tragedy wasn’t an accident and was preventable. On the day of the tragedy, the boy took a shower in the outdoor bathroom. To avoid carbon monoxide building up, the unit had to be installed with adequate ventilation. This wasn’t the case, even though it was certified and signed off by a registered plumber and gasfitter.
Gas-fitter never inspected work before 12-year-old’s fatal shower
The gas water heater was described as an open flued instantaneous water heater. It worked by taking fresh air from the room it was installed in, and used that air for combustion, the summary said. To avoid carbon monoxide entering the room, the unit had to be installed in such a way that the room would have adequate ventilation, while the combustion would be vented from the flue.
Instructions for the appliance included a warning about how it should be installed, and a warning sticker was attached to the unit itself. The sticker urged the installer to read the instructions, and stated the unit should not be installed in a bathroom.
Hale installed the water heater inside the bathroom, but did not raise any concerns about it with Brendon Walker.
As gas specialists one of the top things on our agenda is to promote gas safety awareness. It is really important to understand that gas installations and appliances, even when installed correctly and safely initially, can become dangerous over time for a number of reasons. This is why regular checks and servicing of your gas appliances is essential. This is important in the home but crucial in caravans, boats and other situations where gas appliances are in/ near living areas. Get in touch with us to make sure your installation is safe for your family.
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