2 children found dead in garage alongside portable generator during power outage

SUMPTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Police in Sumpter Township are reminding residents about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning after two children died from exposure on Saturday.

Sumpter Township police and fire responded to to the home on Executive Drive around 10:20 a.m. after receiving a call about an 8-year-old and 12-year-old who were found unresponsive in the garage. According to police, a portable gas-powered generator had been running in the garage following a power outage caused by Friday’s storms.

Attempts to resuscitate the children were unsuccessful, and police are calling the incident “a stark reminder of the dangers of carbon monoxide.”

In the wake of the tragedy, emergency officials are reminding residents to:

• Never run a generator inside a home, garage, basement, shed, or other enclosed area, only outdoors, well away from doors, windows, and vents
• Ensure your home has working carbon monoxide (CO) detectors

Other carbon monoxide facts to know, courtesy of Michigan.gov:

• CO is a poisonous gas. You cannot see, taste or smell CO, but it can be deadly when you breathe it in
• CO is found where carbon-based fuels, including natural gas, kerosene, gasoline, propane, charcoal, oil and wood, are burned
• All fuel-burning items, including vehicles and portable generators, release CO
• CO can build up in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. You will NOT stop CO buildup by opening windows or doors
• Install 10-year lithium battery CO detectors on every level of your home and near all sleeping areas to alert you of CO
• If a CO detector goes off or someone has CO poisoning symptoms, remember to get to fresh air and call 911 for assistance