Rexburg family survives by hours after carbon monoxide leak

REXBURG -- STAND UP: It was just a normal Sunday for Chris and Julia, breakfast, and play time with their young daughters before church. The danger in their home was virtually undetected, but thanks to this small detector their family’s lives were saved.

SOT: “At first I couldn’t really find what the noise was. We actually had just recently purchased our carbon monoxide detector like a month a half ago. We were working our basement at the time so I just set it down in the utility room,” Chris Marcum says.

VO: The detector was left forgotten until last Sunday when carbon monoxide levels in the Marcum home grew to life threatening levels.

SOT: “He was like ‘Everyone get out of the house.’ I had laid my baby down for a nap, I got her from her nap, got the dog, and my 6-year-old was already outside crying. I think she thought our house was on fire,” Julia Marcum says.

VO: Soon the fire department showed up at their home on Yale. They found the furnace was the main source of the leak.

SOT: “It still feels kind of surreal, like we were actually in danger. Just like Jules was saying, that day felt like just a normal day. There was nothing special about it, and that’s how it would have felt even if we didn’t have it (the detector), I’m grateful that we did get the detector when we did,” Chris Marcum says.

VO: Assistant Fire Chief Mikel Walker said it’s important for people to make sure their gas appliances are installed properly and maintained.

SOT: “Make sure that your stuff is vented, your furnace is vented properly, your gas stove is vented if it has a chimney. If you do have an alarm call the fire department, exit the house, open the windows and protect yourself. Get out of the danger,” Walker says.

VO: As for the Marcum’s… They’re just grateful to be alive.

SOT: "If we had not taken just a few minutes to get the detector I mean this would honestly be a different news story,” Chris Marcum says.

SOT: "It’s not a blazing fire, but it’s really just as deadly, I’m just grateful that they were able to take care of our house and clear our house so quickly,” Julia says.

STAND UP: The Marcum’s 2-year-old daughter did get sick from the carbon monoxide, but is doing well now. Chief Walker said if you don’t have a detector and your whole family gets symptoms of the stomach flu at the same time, it could be carbon monoxide poisoning.

Natalia Hepworth, EastIdahoNews.com