A man was found dead in his apartment in Tel Aviv on Sunday with carbon monoxide poisoning the suspected cause of death, according to first responders.
Paramedics with the Magen David Adom ambulance service declared the man dead at the scene.
In a statement, paramedics said they found the man, said to be in his 40s, lying on the ground near a disposable baking pan holding coals, which he appeared to have been using to heat his home.
Medics believed the man fell asleep and died of suffocation.
The first responders said they were called to the scene after the man’s friends were unable to reach him and summoned emergency personnel to break into his apartment.
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MDA issued a reminder to the public to only use approved and functioning heating methods, and to allow for adequate ventilation when using gas or coal fireplaces.
Carbon monoxide has no color or smell, so leaks can be hard to identify until symptoms of poisoning become evident. Medical experts say charcoal should only be used in a well-ventilated outdoor spaces, as even a single grill’s worth of burning charcoal can emit toxic levels of carbon monoxide.
Last year at least three people in Israel died and many more were hurt in carbon monoxide poisoning incidents as they attempted to heat their homes during cold weather.
Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.
