After the deaths of a father and son last week in Windham from carbon monoxide poisoning, a local state senator is suggesting utility companies consider restoring service to customers during winter months.
A gas generator, its power switch still on and its fuel tank burned empty, was discovered in the basement of 46 Dutton Hill Road where Stewart Townsend, 35, and his son Nicholas Townsend, 16 were found on the morning of Friday, Dec. 15.
A state law forbids utility companies from shutting off service between Nov. 15 and April 15. State Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Cumberland, said that Townsend had been without electricity for a long time because he had not paid his Central Maine Power bill.
“It’s not a blame situation,” Diamond said. He said since the state has already decided it is too dangerous to cut off power to residents during cold months, it makes sense to consider turning it back on during that same time period.
“I don’t think legislation is necessary,” Diamond said.
Diamond, who lives in Windham, was considering writing legislation on the matter, but decided against it after discussing the issue with the Public Utilities Commission. He is now trying to encourage CMP to look into making a policy change.
Friends and family
“They were more friends than a father and son relationship,” said next-door-neighbor and close friend Jon Kunath.
Nicholas worked for his father, Stewart, during the summer at his concrete business, Kunath said.
“He’d do anything for anyone,” Kunath said. “He was the nicest guy in the world.”
Friends say Stewart was very sociable, listened to Led Zeppelin and The Doors and loved dirt biking. “It was probably his favorite thing in the world,” said Kunath.
Bill Sandberg, of Raymond, remembers riding motocross bikes with Stewart in the Blue Rock sandpit on Varney Mill Road in Windham when the pair were both teenagers.
Sandberg, who owns a drywall business, said he would sometimes work for Stewart at his cement business, and sometimes the elder Townsend and his son would work for him.
“We used to fight over who Nicholas would work for when he got older,” Sandberg said.
“Nick was a good kid,” Kunath added. He said the curly haired boy was learning to play the guitar. Friends say Nicholas loved video games and was looking into starting a band.
Nicholas transferred to Windham High School last spring from Gorham when he moved in with his father. Assistant Principal Dale Wilson said it was apparent that he had made a lot of friends by the reaction of the student body on Monday.
“We were still getting to know him,” Wilson said.
He is survived by his mother, Jennifer Hill of Gorham.
“He always had a smile,” friend Brytni Craft, 15, said.
Craft said Nick would always wear a red bandanna on his head, and occasionally wore a pair of ducky pajama pants to school.
Craft and some other friends of Nick have been selling red bandannas during lunch period at Windham High School. She said they raised almost $700 by Wednesday morning. Scores of students are still waiting to purchase more of them, she said.
Craft said the money will go to purchasing a tree to be planted on school property, and an engraved plaque. Craft said any extra money will be turned into a memorial scholarship.
The Townsends had no life insurance policy so friends and neighbors have placed collection cans made from the bottom half of soda bottles on the counters of shops and stores all over the greater Windham area.
A fund has also been established at Mechanics Savings Bank in Windham for the same purpose. Patrons can make donations to The Townsend Fund by stopping by and speaking with a teller.
The Barnhouse Tavern in Windham held a fundraiser Tuesday night with raffles and door prizes given by area businesses. Clare Woodman, a family friend, said all the money raised, including the bartenders tips, will go to the funeral fund. Any leftover money will be used to buy carbon monoxide detectors, which will be free for the asking at the tavern.
Colorless, odorless
Fire and Rescue Chief Charles Hammond said Scott Benoit of Windham, a friend and co-worker of Stewart entered the house around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, looking to borrow a tool. Benoit found Stewart Townsend’s still figure lying on the first floor clutching a quilt.
Benoit next discovered teenage Nicholas in his bedroom on the second floor. Benoit called E-911 and attempted CPR on Nicholas.
Hammond said paramedics thought Benoit had pulled Nicholas outside, but were surprised when they arrived and heard his voice from upstairs.
Benoit was unaware that the house was filled with the colorless, odorless carbon monoxide gas, Hammond said.
Paramedics recorded the toxicity at the door was 250 parts per million of carbon monoxide. Hammond said the maximum safe exposure is 50 parts per million.
The paramedics went inside without breathing masks to retrieve Nicholas and Benoit, who had turned bright red in color because of the gas, Hammond said.
“He wasn’t feeling real good himself,” Hammond said of Benoit. Toxicity levels inside were recorded at 940 parts per million.
Nicholas, Benoit and one of the paramedics were taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Nicholas died shortly after arrival. The other two were treated and released.
Police believe the source of the carbon monoxide poisoning was a gas generator discovered in the basement. The generator has reportedly been used in the basement for some time with the outside doors thrown open.
On Friday, the doors were found shut.
“Even with the doors open, it’s a very deadly situation,” said officer David Thomas, who arrived at the scene after paramedics.
Thomas said the deadly gas can still travel into the rest of a house through floors, or even along electrical wires and plumbing fixtures.
A smaller generator was discovered on the second floor.
Hammond said police opened all the doors and windows in the house to ventilate the gas before investigating inside.
Leaks from stoves and hot water heaters can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as fumes from burning wood, natural gas or propane, Hammond said.
“People need to be aware of carbon monoxide. It will kill you,” Hammond said.
Winter exposures
“We tend to get many more [carbon monoxide] exposures in the winter than during the rest of the year,” said Dr. Karen Simone, clinical toxicologist at the Northern New England Poison Center. The center is based out of Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Simone said the cold causes people to shut doors and window to their houses, as well as pull fume-spewing devices inside, a fatal combination.
“Any kind of fuel-burning heat generator needs to be run outside,” Simone said.
Hemoglobin in the blood stream carry oxygen to the cells of the body. Simone said when carbon monoxide is inhaled, it enters the blood stream through the lungs and sticks to the hemoglobin, making them unable to carry oxygen and starving the cells.
The lack of oxygen can also cause brain damage, Simone said. Long-term effects of carbon monoxide exposure include changes in mood, depression, anxiety, difficulties with adding numbers, and memory.
Simone said people exposed to carbon monoxide may feel a terrible headache, nausea, an upset stomach, dizziness or confusion. People with heart problems may also experience chest pains.
Some people may experience these symptoms at home, go somewhere else, and see them recur when they return.
“That’s an indication that it’s something in your environment,” Simone said.
Simone said another indicator is if everyone in a building develops these symptoms at the same time.
Simone said the gas is especially dangerous to people who are asleep or intoxicated as they will not be able to detect these symptoms.
Simone recommended families purchase a carbon monoxide detector from a hardware or department store. She advises people to test them monthly, and to try to find a model with a digital readout instead of just an alarm so they can monitor gas levels.
“In our world, its better to fix it before it happens,” Simone said.
People concerned about a possible carbon monoxide leak can call the Northern New england Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Townsend1: Stewart Townsend
Townsend4: The house at 46 Dutton Hill Road where Stewart and Nicholas Townsend were discovered last Friday morning.
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