Found Deceased Mexico - Kevin, 41, Amy, 38, Sterling, 12, & Adrianna Sharp, 7, Tulum, 15 March 2018

[AlwaysShocked]

A "gas leak" and carbon monoxide poisoning are two different things. Either can kill you. A "gas leak"
is a leak of fuel gas from a supply line leading to any gas-supplied appliance - range, oven, furnace, water heater.
These types of gasses have a substance added to them that gives a pungent, unique smell to the gas.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless by-product of burned fuels. The burned fuel could be natural gas, wood, gasoline, etc.

An improperly vented hot water heater can kill the occupants of a house via CO poisoning.

 

[jjenny]

I read that as you wouldn't need to run a (room) heater in a tropical climate... but that could just be the way I interpret it. What other kind of devices could emit carbon dioxide in a vacation condo/apartment? Gas cookers maybe, or not?

It doesn't even have to be in the apartment itself. In NC, pool heater leaked CO into the hotel room, but heater wasn't located in the room itself.

 

[jjenny]

A "gas leak" and carbon monoxide poisoning are two different things. Either can kill you. A "gas leak"
is a leak of fuel gas from a supply line leading to any gas-supplied appliance - range, oven, furnace, water heater.
These types of gasses have a substance added to them that gives a pungent, unique smell to the gas.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless by-product of burned fuels. The burned fuel could be natural gas, wood, gasoline, etc.

An improperly vented hot water heater can kill the occupants of a house via CO poisoning.

In this particular case it seems to be used interchangeably. I am pretty sure by gas leak they do mean carbon monoxide poisoning.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...um-Mexico-condo-friends-reported-missing.html.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I read that as you wouldn't need to run a (room) heater in a tropical climate... but that could just be the way I interpret it. What other kind of devices could emit carbon dioxide in a vacation condo/apartment? Gas cookers maybe, or not?

A gas fireplace that does not have its flue open. Many people light a fireplace for Ambiance versus Heat, that being said I would doubt one would exist in Mexico?

 

[dyannaON]

This is just so sad. You go on a lovely family vacation and you never wake up. It honestly scares me. Jmo.


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[margarita25]

I will definitely start carrying a portable detector in our luggage when we go on vacation now. It's something I literally never thought about before this case.

Greeeeeaaaaat idea. You will need to make sure you have the international plug out /adapter.

 

[borndem]

Just saw this in WaPo:

[h=1]American family of four found dead while on vacation in Mexico, police say
[/h]by Marwa Eltagouri March 24 at 10:55 AM

[...]
Kevin Wayne Sharp, 41, his wife, Amy Marie Sharp, 38, and their children Sterling Wayne Sharp, 12, and Adrianna Marie Sharp, 7, were found dead in the Tulum condominium where they had been vacationing, police confirmed Friday.
[...]
The family had planned to meet up with some friends at a water park, Amy Sharp’s cousin, Jana Weland, told ABC News.

But “they never showed up at that water park to meet them,” Weland said.
[...]
Last month, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an investigation that identified more than 150 reports from travelers who said they blacked out or became violently ill after having just one or two drinks at dozens of Mexican resorts in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerta Vallarta and Los Cabos. It’s unclear whether those tourists were deliberately drugged or became random victims of tainted alcohol, according to the investigation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...?utm_term=.904cac1a8c15&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

 

[Hatfield]

I will definitely start carrying a portable detector in our luggage when we go on vacation now. It's something I literally never thought about before this case.

Exactly.
Add a Carbon Monoxide detector to your luggage when traveling anywhere.

You cant trust the buildings or motels you are staying in to have equipment that is not faulty and could kill you.

When you start to think about it there are many devices and engines/machines that these places run that could be faulty and emit too much carbon monoxide.

The places we stay at when traveling can have devices like these
Water Heaters
Pool Water Heaters
Hot Tub Heaters
Gas Grills
Heaters or Furnaces in general
Oven
Stove
Refrigerators
Freezers
Fireplace
probably more things too?

It is amazing when you start to think of all the things that could end up being dangerous to your life by emitting bad too much of something.
Any type of engine that is running could be a problem for people.

When you think about how shoddy some places keep up with their maintenance then its not surprising to realize some of these devices could be faulty and emit too much gas of something that could kill someone.

Im adding a Carbon Monoxide detector and even my own smoke detector to my list of travel items when traveling anywhere. They are not too expensive and you can get them at places like Lowes or Home Depot or Walmart. The CO detectors seem to be a little more expensive than smoke detectors but not by much so still affordable and worth it.

Just remember to take it with you when traveling and also remember to take it back home with you when you leave the place. Its probably something real easy to forget it is yours and leave it behind.

 

[borndem]

It doesn't even have to be in the apartment itself. In NC, pool heater leaked CO into the hotel room, but heater wasn't located in the room itself.

Thanks -- That sounds like the case I mentioned here -- in NC -- but I was obviously vague on the details you gave!

 

[Hatfield]

Someone made a good point too.

The furnace or device that is faulty is not necessarily even in your room.
The gas can be getting into the rooms through the vent ductwork or other ways.

So just because we see a nice clean room with no devices it does not mean we are safe.
You would not really think of something like the place you are staying having a faulty pool water heater that puts bad carbon monoxide into your room but it could through venting. The actual heater may be down near the pool itself.

 

[Kas80]

Just saw this in WaPo:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...?utm_term=.904cac1a8c15&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

There was a lady posting on the CNN twitter story link that her and her husband just returned from Tulum and were drugged through tainted alcohol. They woke up later with bruises and such.

 

[jjenny]

There was a lady posting on the CNN twitter story link that her and her husband just returned from Tulum and were drugged through tainted alcohol. They woke up later with bruises and such.

Very unlikely the case of death here, considering two victims were children.

 

[JenniD]

Just read on noti tulum Facebook that toxic gas is the cause. All personal belongings were untouched

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

I was thinking of going on one of those dental tours to Nogales but now I will just stay here and pay the big bucks for dental care...

 

[rabidstoat]

Just read on noti tulum Facebook that toxic gas is the cause. All personal belongings were untouched

Here's the Noti Tulum post: https://www.facebook.com/notitulum/posts/1603119006402290

Initial autopsy results have cause of death as "toxic gasses", though they weren't able to (or didn't want to publicly, at least) conclusively identify the specific type of gas. They're sending some samples to some other office (PGR Mexico) and expect their results in 10 days. No sign of violence, bodies had been dead 36-48 hours when discovered.

There's some pictures at the post of people in hazmat type suits taking readings at a stove, and what I guess are some furnace vents.

 

[EA18G]

Iowa family died of gas asphyxiation at Mexican resort


http://www.startribune.com/iowa-family-died-of-gas-asphyxiation-at-mexican-resort/477836463/

 

[Kas80]

Very unlikely the case of death here, considering two victims were children.

Oh definitely I was just saying that the tainted food and drink mentioned in the article is possibly still happening which is scary :-/

 

[katydid23]

My daughter and her boyfriend leave for Tulum in 3 weeks.

Are there such things as 'toxic gas detectors'? I will get them a CO detector to take to their hotel room. I know they will think I am crazy though.LOL

My daughter followed the tragic story of this family because I sent her the link when they were still rerouted as missing. So she is aware.

And she found the related stories of people in Tulum being served tainted alcohol and the stories of the explosive on the ferries.

But they really really want to go see the Mayan Ruins and stay in a beautiful resort on a gorgeous jungle beach. So I am trusting they will be careful and have a great romantic getaway and then return home safely....:candle:

 

[Tssiemer]

I would say as long as they stay on or near the resort they should be fine. We went to Rivera Maya for our honeymoon 6 years ago and getting there from the airport was a HUGE culture shock. I felt unsafe the entire time even though the resort picked us up. But once we were on the resort it was great. And then we did the resort excursions and they were great too. But they also had an excursion to go shopping some place and there was a huge Caution and warnings about personal safety while out. We did not go.


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[jjenny]

My daughter and her boyfriend leave for Tulum in 3 weeks.

Are there such things as 'toxic gas detectors'? I will get them a CO detector to take to their hotel room. I know they will think I am crazy though.LOL

My daughter followed the tragic story of this family because I sent her the link when they were still rerouted as missing. So she is aware.

And she found the related stories of people in Tulum being served tainted alcohol and the stories of the explosive on the ferries.

But they really really want to go see the Mayan Ruins and stay in a beautiful resort on a gorgeous jungle beach. So I am trusting they will be careful and have a great romantic getaway and then return home safely....:candle:

There are lots of toxic gases. Carbon monoxide is one of them. I don't think there is a detector that would detect all of them.