In an apartment in Gütersloh in North Rhine-Westphalia, eleven people suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning on New Year's Eve. Two people fell so seriously ill that they had to be taken to a special clinic with a pressure chamber, as the police said. It cannot be ruled out that the 27-year-old woman and the 31-year-old man are in mortal danger, the statement said.
The nine other victims were taken to surrounding hospitals. Among them, two three-year-olds were reported to be among them. Employees of the alarmed emergency services were also injured.
According to initial investigations, the group had initially barbecued outside the apartment, but dismantled the grill and brought it into the apartment in the course of the evening. Several hours later, the first partying complained of severe headaches. The group alerted the rescue workers and the apartment was evacuated.
When poisoned by carbon monoxide, there is a massive lack of oxygen in the body because the gas binds to the red blood pigment 300 times more than oxygen. Depending on the concentration, the consequences include headache, racing heart, nausea, apathy, shortness of breath and, in the worst case, death. Fatal accidents occur repeatedly in Germany: In 2015, more than 600 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
