Great-gran speaks of horror after carbon monoxide
A great-grandmother has spoken of the terrifying moment she realised there was a deadly gas leak in her home.
Patricia Asprey, 76, of Moray Road, Chadderton, also told the M.E.N she believed she would be dead if she had not had a carbon monoxide detector to alert her to the leak, the source of which is still being investigated.
Patricia, who was hospitalised along with a 24-year-old neighbour, said: “It was very scary, I just panicked when the alarm went off. We were evacuated and then in hospital they said I had high levels of carbon monoxide in my blood. I had felt very sleepy but I’m on painkillers after a hip operation so I thought it was those.
“The firefighters praised me for having a detector. I’m so glad I had one or I could have passed put. I could be dead as you can’t smell it or hear it.”
Fire service bosses have issued a warning over a ‘silent killer’ after the drama on Moray Road in Chadderton, Oldham. A number of other residents also reported feeling unwell and were checked and treated by paramedics.
Fire crews from Chadderton, Hollins and Oldham were called to the road at 6.40pm on Thursday after a carbon monoxide alarm activated inside a property.
Five homes were evacuated immediately and fire fighters wearing breathing masks led Patricia to safety. A gas engineer was called to the scene and isolated the supply.
Patricia, who is recovering from a hip replacement operation, was washing up when the alarm started going off.
She immediately limped outside, taking her phone and calling 999, before realising her hearing aid wasn’t in.
She added: “I had to find that and call again. I went straight back outside at the back and waited for the firefighters.”
When they arrived they evacuated Patricia’s neighbours too – and she and another woman were taken to hospital.
Neighbour Arnold Bennett, 90, was also evacuated.
He added: “I was watching television when firefighters came to my door and said I had to leave. I was outside for an hour and a half. The neighbours were kind and invited us in.
The great grandfather of five added: “I have a carbon monoxide alarm, and this has made me realise how important they are.”
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