Carbon monoxide found in Toledo SUV, three dead, two children hospitalized

Carbon monoxide was confirmed in a parked Ford Explorer in Toledo, Ohio, after five people were found unresponsive and three died. Two children were hospitalized, and officials said the case was an accident with no foul play suspected.

The scene unfolded on Phillips Avenue, where Toledo Fire and Rescue Department crews were called to a hazardous-materials response and Toledo police received the call at about 11 a.m. One local report said the vehicle had been pulled over after a flat tire. The response grew large enough to draw hazmat crews to the block as officers and firefighters worked around the SUV.

Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous in a vehicle because it is odorless and colorless, so people can be overcome before they realize anything is wrong. When an engine idles, incomplete combustion produces exhaust containing carbon monoxide, and that gas can build up in or around a vehicle if the space is enclosed or only partly open. The most common warning signs are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion, symptoms that can be mistaken for illness, fatigue or stress.

Lucas County coroner records identified one victim as Zayona Jackson. The coroner’s office said Jackson was transported from 1131 Artis Place in Toledo to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she was declared dead at 1:45 a.m. minutes after arrival. Other reporting on the case said three members of the same family died, with the two children hospitalized in critical condition.

The Toledo case echoes earlier carbon-monoxide deaths in the region, including a 2018 death investigation involving a 1-year-old girl. Safety officials routinely warn that carbon monoxide can accumulate quickly in closed spaces and that drivers should never run a vehicle in a garage or other enclosed area, even for a short time. If a vehicle must be started near a structure, it should be moved outside immediately, and anyone who develops sudden headache, dizziness or confusion around an idling vehicle needs fresh air and emergency help right away.