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Man Dies of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After Leaving The Car Running Overnight

A man from Davis Islands, Tampa, Florida, has died from carbon monoxide poisoning after he or his wife left the car running in the garage overnight. Exhaust seeped into their condominium, instantly killing the man and his 2 dogs.
Exhaust fills Florida condo after car is left running overnight, kills man, 2 dogs 7 photos
Photo: Fox13news.com
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Fox 13 reports that the body of Thomas Martino and of his 2 dogs were found on the condo’s first floor. His wife, Pamela Martino, was on the third floor: when first responders arrived, she was unconscious but still alive. Her condition is currently listed as critical.

Either Thomas or Pamela had taken the car into the garage the previous night and forgot to turn off the engine. The car ran the entire night, so exhaust seeped into the entire condominium, eventually claiming the man’s life.

“It's brutal and it's painful. It's a sad, sad thing,” one of the neighbors says for Fox 13. “Sometimes with these new car that don't have the keys. You can get out of them, they're so quiet, and you don't press the button. I know I've done that a few times on the street.”

Dr. Joette Giovinco explains that carbon monoxide is odorless, which is why it’s called the silent killer. It clings to our red blood cells, displacing oxygen, causing death. Buildings built after 2008 have a carbon monoxide detector installed by default, but this was probably not the case here. The couple’s condo is in a building that was probably build around 2002.

Had they had one of those detectors set up, it could have saved their life. “If you have gas in your home – and that could be a water heater, or a fire place, or you have an attached garage, or you own a generator – you really need to consider getting a carbon monoxide detector,” Dr. Giovinco stresses.

Some of the first responders who arrived on the scene and rushed to offer assistance also needed to be treated for symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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