Tulsa Family Lucky To Survive Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A Tulsa family feels very fortunate that their 4-year-old daughter woke them up early Tuesday morning. A leaking bathroom heater filled their home with dangerous levels of carbon monoxide as they slept.

Tuesday, January 24th 2012, 8:23 am

By: Craig Day


A family of four is alive thanks to their daughter waking up sick early Tuesday morning.

Shortly before 3:30 a.m. Tulsa Fire got a call about possible carbon monoxide poisoning at a home in the 12500 block of East 18th Street.

Firefighters found a 28-year-old Marco Villeasenor, his 30-year-old wife, Mayu and their two daughters, Sabrina, 4, and Alandra, 12, in the home. All had high levels of carbon monoxide in their blood.

Family members were rushed to a Tulsa hospital where they were treated and released.

The family was sound asleep, and says they would have likely died if their 4-year-old daughter hadn't awakened the family just in time.

"Imagine if she didn't wake up? Maybe we would die," said mother Mayu Villeasenor.

"I tell my husband she's an angel, because she woke up and she wake everybody up," Mayu said.

The family didn't have a carbon monoxide detector. Their only warning that something was wrong, was when Sabrina got sick.

Mayu immediately knew it was dangerous.

"I just feel like I'm relaxed, I don't want to move. I don't want to do nothing. I call my husband I tell him, ‘Marco come help me, I don't know what is wrong with me,'" she said.

The family called for help, firefighters arrived shortly, and the couple and their two daughters were all taken to the hospital for treatment.

"Checked the content in their blood and it was pretty high," said Captain Lee Thompson, Tulsa Fire Department.

Public Information Officer Tim Smallwood said their Hazmat crews measured a CO reading of 145 parts per million in the front door of the home and readings as high as 245 parts per million in the east bed room. Tulsa Fire department considers 35 parts per million as dangerous.

Mayu says the carbon monoxide made her nauseous, gave the family headaches, and prevented her from thinking clearly.

"Your mind is somewhere else, you don't think," she said. "When I started walking, I feel like dizzy, and feel like what is wrong, you know."

The couple says they're going to immediately go out and buy a carbon monoxide detector. They want others to buy one too.

"You just say it's not going to happen to my house; it's not going to happen to my family, but you never know," said Tulsa resident Mayu Villeasenor.

The family still feels a little sick and will get follow-up blood work done in a couple of days.

But, they're thankful to be alive.

Crews determined a heater in a bathroom wall was leaking.

The family didn't have a carbon monoxide detector, but Marco says they will be buying one Tuesday.

Learn the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning and get safety tips from the Tulsa Area Red Cross.

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