Willow man dies of carbon monoxide poisoning

Emergency responders in Willow found a man in his cabin Thursday, dead of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. Responders found 50 year-old Kirk Kousal in the loft of his cabin, just south of Willow. A neighbor reported that Kousal had not been feeling well for about a week.

Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said, “carbon monoxide levels inside the cabin were through the roof.” The resident had apparently hooked propane bottles inside the cabin to a propane wall heater and water heater. Peters says because everything pointed to carbon monoxide poisoning, she believes there won’t be any further investigation by the Troopers.

Troopers have sent out press releases asking Alaskan residents to check carbon monoxide detectors in their homes, and to be careful of homemade propane heaters and other devices that could leak and cause poisoning.  Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to flu symptoms… nausea, headaches, sleepiness and dizziness.