Caroline GallWest Midlands
A mayor has praised emergency crews for their response to a suspected carbon monoxide poisoning at a takeaway that left one man dead and seven others needing treatment.
Residents and emergency responders were helped by paramedics called to a shop in Bloxwich, West Midlands, on Friday night.
Nearby properties were evacuated for several hours, while the area was made safe. It is thought the premises in Cresswell Crescent were being refurbished and a generator released toxic gasses.
Councillor Louise Harrison, mayor of Walsall, thanked firefighters, police and paramedics for their swift response and nearby St Thomas’ Church for supporting the community during the evacuation.
West Midlands Police is working with the Health and Safety Executive to establish the details of what had happened.
Praising the emergency crews, Harrison said she had been told some kind of “fumes” potentially from a generator were to blame, while the shop was being set up before opening.
“Somebody sadly lost their life here, but the paramedics have got to be thanked [as] they really did work on the gentleman involved, but sadly nothing could be done for him,” she said.
She described the incident as “absolutely shocking”.
“We all want to see shops back in use and we don’t want to see empty shops and this was being re-furbed and I know they were urgently trying to get it back open so it is really, really sad and so sad for the family as well,” Harrison continued.
“It’s awful how that can happen on an evening when people are just going about their business.”
The church is very close to the scene and was where people went after being forced to leave their properties, she said.
“Mossley is really a tight community and we always rally round and help each other on here,” she added.
‘Lack of ventilation’
Police and paramedics were called to the shop at about 21:40 BST on Friday night after concerns about the welfare of a man.
The man, aged in his 50s, died at the scene, the force said, with others being treated at the scene and at hospital.
Cara Jackson who was working at the neighbouring One Stop convenience store and lives nearby, said she had seen medics trying to save his life.
The 23-year-old said she was among those that breathed in the gases and was also evacuated from a property.
People were able to return home at about 03:00 BST after safety tests were completed, Walsall councillor Michael Coulson.
He told News it was understood there was not enough ventilation around the generator while it was being used.
He said he had spoken to three men at the shop on Friday evening prior to the incident as he carried out a litter pick in the area.
