3 dead after carbon monoxide found in Ford Explorer
The presence of carbon monoxide was confirmed in a parked vehicle in Toledo, Ohio, where five people were found unresponsive and three of them died Wednesday.(Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
TOLEDO, Ohio - Three people died, and two children remained in critical condition after authorities discovered high levels of carbon monoxide inside a parked SUV in a Toledo parking lot on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
3 dead after carbon monoxide found in vehicle
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Emergency crews responded shortly after 11 a.m. to a report of multiple unresponsive occupants inside a Ford Explorer that had pulled into a parking lot after suffering a flat tire, according to Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong.
City of Toledo spokesperson Rachel Hart said the victims included a grandmother and her grandchildren. Hart added that the woman's son, who had been called to assist after the flat tire, found the bodies.
Investigators later tested the vehicle by starting the engine with the doors closed while monitoring the air inside the passenger compartment. Armstrong said the testing revealed a significant spike in carbon monoxide.
"We had a high spike of carbon monoxide inside the passenger compartment on that vehicle," he said.
Mayor calls incident a ‘tragedy’
What they're saying:
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said investigators do not suspect foul play, describing the incident as a tragic accident.
He said three of the victims died, while two children were hospitalized in critical condition. Their names, ages and hometowns weren’t immediately released.
"Today, a family experienced a tragedy that no family should ever have to endure," the mayor said in a statement shared on social media.
SUV impounded; investigation continues
What's next:
The SUV has been impounded as investigators work to determine how the deadly gas entered the cabin. Armstrong said identifying the source of the carbon monoxide will be critical for public safety.
"They’re going to have to do some further investigation to see if they can identify how does that happen," Armstrong said. "I think that’s an important piece of this that people want to know, and they should know for everybody’s safety."
The model has previously drawn federal scrutiny. Ford Explorers from the 2011 through 2017 model years were the focus of a six-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration following complaints about exhaust odors inside passenger cabins. After reviewing more than 6,500 consumer complaints, conducting field testing, and consulting outside experts, the agency concluded in 2023 that the vehicles did not produce dangerous carbon monoxide levels and did not require a recall.
The probe covered nearly 1.5 million Explorers from the 2011 to 2017 model years. Armstrong said it wasn’t immediately known what year the SUV involved in Wednesday’s incident was made.
The Source: This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.