Yorkshire Post
Copyright 2007 Johnston Press Plc
All Rights Reserved
HUDDERSFIELD, England — A mother who lost her only child to carbon monoxide poisoning has backed a campaign about the dangers of the odourless gas. Stacey Rodgers lost her 10-year-old son Dominic three years ago when he breathed in fumes from a neighbour's faulty boiler as he slept at the family home in Huddersfield. Posters showing Dominic's face are being put on buses as part of an awareness campaign in Kirklees.
Mrs Rodgers, who launched the campaign in Huddersfield yesterday, wants people to get appliances serviced regularly and to install a CO alarm. She said: "I don't want anyone else to go through what our family did when we lost Dominic, so I really hope this campaign pushes everyone who sees it to do something.
"If you live in a council house, make sure you let the gas team do their safety checks. If you live in a private rented house, make sure your landlord has a safety certificate. And if you own your home, get a CORGI registered supplier to check your appliances."
Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield and co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group, has backed the campaign.
He said: "Because of recent tragedies, sadly in this region, most of us are only too well aware of the dangers caused by the potentially deadly gas.
"Far fewer people understand the risk factors or what they can do to help protect themselves and their families. It's vital that people learn what they can do to help prevent even more tragedies from happening."
Mrs Rodgers and players from Huddersfield Town, which Dominic supported, released 500 orange and blue helium balloons, which also carry the campaign message.
The first 50 people who find the balloons will be able to claim a free CO detector worth over £25. There have been several tragedies caused by carbon monoxide in recent months.
n October last year, Christianne Shepherd, seven, and her brother Robert, six, from Wakefield, died in Corfu after a leak from a suspected faulty boiler.
