Unflued indoor gas pool heater caused death, says Coroner

The NSW Coroner has recommended an information campaign for building managers, strata managers and owners' corporations after an inquest into the 2002 death of a Sydney security guard from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

The gas water heater servicing the gym’s pool in the Pyrmont unit block where the security guard worked was not flued and ventilation to the gym was sealed to prevent the ingress of cold air and debris.

NSW Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts says that carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless and as a result, people will be unaware of its presence and could quickly become overwhelmed.

“Heaters designed to be installed and operated outside can be dangerous if they are installed in enclosed spaces. Adherence to the regulations and Australian Standards regarding the installation, storage and handling of gas heaters and gas water heaters is a matter of life and death.”

The Minister said the major danger associated with all gas heaters used in enclosed or confined spaces was when ventilation was poor or obstructed and poisonous fumes such as carbon monoxide could be forced back into rooms.

All gas water heaters are required to be fitted with a flue vented to the outside of a building to prevent products of combustion entering buildings.

The security guard, Janesh Dani, died in 2002 after a routine night shift working at reception and performing patrols around the apartment block. Those patrols included the roof terrace, stairwells, basement car park, and gymnasium and spa pool.

His body was found the next day on the floor of the gymnasium. An autopsy found that the cause of Dani’s death was CO poisoning. He was found to have a CO blood concentration of 66 per cent – well into the fatal range.

There were only two possible sources by which CO could have entered the gymnasium. Those were exhaust from motor vehicles using the basement car park and a gas heater that was used to heat the water in the pool spa that was located on the premises. Investigators found no reason to suspect that motor vehicle exhaust from the car park was the source of the CO.

By coincidence, the day after Mr Dani’s death and without knowledge of his death, a gas plumber attended the premises and replaced a faulty ignition module and a worn igniter assembly of the heater. On leaving the building, the plumber spoke to the building manager advising her that in his opinion the site in which the heater was located was not compliant with gas safety requirements. He recorded his opinion on his invoice and his observation provided the clue that directed the later police investigation.