Couple Dies of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Mobile Home + 6 More Hospitalized as IN Officials Push Generator Safety.

17th June 2026 – ABC7 Eye Witness News: PORTAGE, Ind. (WLS) – A couple found dead in their mobile home due to carbon monoxide poisoning over the weekend has prompted local officials to warn residents about the dangers of improperly using portable generators, as thousands in the area remain following recent storms.

Emergency crews were called Saturday morning to Lakeshore Camp Resort, where Deborah and Salvatore Fogu were discovered inside their home. According to the coroner, the couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to a portable generator they were using after last week’s severe weather.

“It was outside the home, but too close to the window. Or I should say close enough to the window that it ended up getting in,” Portage Mayor Austin Bonta said. “Our prayers are with the families and friends of those who have been lost to these issues.”

The deaths have shaken the campground community, a seasonal destination near the Indiana Dunes where many spend their summers. Friends remembered the couple, who were originally from Palos Hills, for their generosity.

“I sat up last night and cried,” Chris Marshall said. “I ran into hard times. And I couldn’t find a job. He took me on, gave me a job.”While Portage was not as heavily impacted by the storms as other parts of northwest Indiana, including Merrillville and Hobart, significant tree damage on the city’s north side has left many residents without power. As a result, portable generators have become a common source of electricity — sometimes with dangerous consequences.

City officials said that in a separate incident, six people were hospitalized due to carbon monoxide exposure tied to generator use.

“The generator is either being put too close to the home, right by a window where the exhaust is blowing into a window, or in some cases people putting it in their garage,” Bonta said.

Dottie Rippel and her husband narrowly avoided a similar situation after recently installing a carbon monoxide detector before the storms hit. The alarm alerted them early one morning to dangerous fumes entering their home.

“We had our window open, and we had it on our back patio, not realizing that the fumes would go up that high. At 3:30 a.m. I was standing outside,” Rippel said.

The couple has since moved their generator and continues to rely on it for power, refueling it twice daily as utility crews work to restore electricity.

Northern Indiana Public Service Company officials said about 4,000 customers in the region remained without power, with approximately 200 crews working around the clock to restore service.

In the meantime, city officials are urging residents to follow key generator safety guidelines: Place generators outside only. Keep them at least 20 feet away from homes, windows and doors. Ensure exhaust is directed away from people, and install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home.

Read the full article at: ABC7 Eye Witness News

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Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless toxic gas. In the United States alone, the CDC states that every year carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires leads to over 50,000 Americans going to the emergency room, with around 15,000 being hospitalized and as many as 500 deaths.

Generators, car engines, air conditioning systems, boilers, ovens and other equipment where combustion takes place can cause carbon monoxide exposure when used incorrectly and/or in the wrong environment, or if it is not properly maintained.

Please see our simple safety advice on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the very real dangers of carbon monoxide.

Or, click here and complete our short contact form if you or someone you know has suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and need advice on whether you may have grounds to claim compensation from those responsible.