Port Arthur, Tex. (NewsNation) — Three people died from carbon monoxide poisoning in Port Arthur, Texas due to improper use of portable generators.
The city made the announcement in a news release. It said 22 other people, including one child, are in the hospital likely from the same thing.
Generator exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide. It is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill someone in minutes.
Thursday, Texas governor, Greg Abbott, said more than 160,000 people were without power in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Laura. In Louisiana, about 600,000 lost power; hundreds of thousands still wait for restoration. In Arkansas, about 45,000 were without electricity Friday.
“It is clear that we did not sustain and suffer the absolute, catastrophic damage that we thought was likely,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “But we have sustained a tremendous amount of damage.”
He called Laura the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana.
As for those without power, the city of Port Arthur provided advice for people using generators:
- Use your generator outside and keep it away from doors, windows, and vent openings.
- Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector and make sure it is working properly.
- Never use a generator in an attached garage, even with the door open.
- Turn off the generator and make sure it is cooled off before refueling.