4 found dead in Wakefield, New Hampshire on Christmas from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning
WAKEFIELD, N.H. - Four people were found dead on Christmas Day in Wakefield, New Hampshire from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said.
State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey said police responded to 2962 Province Lake Road in Wakefield shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check. Wakefield is a town of about 5,000 that borders Maine, just east of Lake Winnipesaukee.
Wakefield, NH victims were all adults
The four victims were all adults, officials said. Their names have not yet been released yet.
"While the investigation remains active and ongoing, at this time, investigators believe the victims died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning," Toomey said in a statement.
The Medical Examiner is scheduled to conduct autopsies on Thursday to determine the official cause of death. No other information was immediately available.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
The fire marshal in his statement reminded residents "of the importance of having working carbon monoxide alarms in their homes."
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be produced by household items like furnaces and portable generators. It kills more than 400 American each year and sends more than 100,000 to the emergency room, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, confusion and other "flu-like" symptoms.
In November, a couple in their late 70s died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in Bedford, New Hampshire. Earlier this year, three people were found dead in a home with elevated carbon monoxide levels in Nahant, Massachusetts.