The recent deaths of two men, whose bodies were recovered from inside a car parked in the basement of a private hospital in Dhaka's Malibagh on Monday, has raised questions about what exactly happened.
Police say they are investigating the mysterious deaths, but were not sure whether it was a murder or death from another cause.
Owner of the car, Zubair Al Mahmud Sourav, said the last he spoke to his driver, Zakir Hossain, he was informed that Zakir would be sleeping in the car with his cousin.
While foul play cannot be written off at this moment, the location of the deaths has resurfaced an age-old debate: monoxide poisoning.
What is carbon monoxide and why is it dangerous?
Carbon monoxide (CO), is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas that can be deadly when inhaled in high concentrations.
The gas can quickly build up in a motionless vehicle, especially if a car is parked and the engine is left running for a long time.
Dr K Sashetheran Nadaraja, senior resident medical officer, Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, in an article, has said when a parked car's engine is left running for a long time, carbon monoxide emissions from the exhaust can accumulate and seep back into the vehicle's interior.
This poses a significant risk of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, to anyone sleeping inside.
Since it can't be seen, smelled, or tasted, people who fall asleep in parked cars with the engine running often don't realise the danger they're in.
Furthermore, a damaged or blocked exhaust can contribute to carbon monoxide build-up.
What happens during monoxide poisoning
When the level of carbon monoxide rises, a person inside a sealed car may feel drowsy, tired and eventually lose consciousness.
Dr Nadaraja recommends keeping the car windows slightly open to help ventilate the car.
While headaches, nausea and dizziness are less severe symptoms, one can also suffer from confusion and seizures if monoxide levels are high enough.
A person can leave the car for fresh air to recover, but someone asleep in a sealed car will not be able to react at the right time.
The heat and whether the car AC was on can also be factors.
Some people, however, have said they frequently sleep in their cars without any troubles. It should be noted some models of car ensure that the vehicle is never sealed, while others may not.
Comments