27 young people from West Flanders were hospitalised with carbon monoxide poisoning on Tuesday while on a skiing holiday in France. The youngsters became ill while they were staying at the resort of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. They are on a holiday organised by Kazou, the youth section of the Christian Health Mutual.
The teenagers have since left hospital and have been allowed to return to their lodgings and are reported to be recovering well. On Tuesday the teenagers aged 15 and 16 became unwell. Carbon monoxide positioning causes drowsiness and nausea and, in some cases, can even be fatal.
Kazou’s Florence Slock told VRT News that "27 youngsters were taken to hospital. Prelimary medical checks found that they had too much carbon monoxide in their blood. Part of the group was able to return to their lodgings last night. All of them are doing well”.
Back on the piste
The cook at the youngsters’ lodgings also became unwell. The Fire Service was called, and they discovered high concentrations of carbon monoxide in the air.
The group is spending the half term vacation skiing in France. Ms Slock told VRT News that the youngsters that were hospitalised are resting up while the rest of the group is back on the piste.
The cause of the poisoning was a faulty cooker. The lodgings have since been inspected and declared safe by the Fire Service.
However, Ms Slock reassures us that "Just to be sure the cooks are now using electric cookers rather than gas”.