Man dies of refrigerant gas poisoning

An Alaskan man has died following a tragic refrigeration leak aboard a fishing vessel.

According to the Kodiak Police Department (KPD), five crew members had to be evacuated off the boat, which was floating in St. Herman Harbor, near Kodiak Island.

All those affected were treated on the scene for Freon poisoning. However, a 30-year-old man and a 56-year-old man had to be taken to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center.

The younger man died shortly after, while the older man is still in critical condition.

“It’s tragic. Somebody comes to Kodiak in hopes of working, making money and coming home. It’s a tragic situation, so hopefully we can figure out what happened,” said KPD Police Chief Ronda Wallace in a statement.

While the incident is still under investigation, a number of nearby vessels have been evacuated as a precautionary measure, according to the Kodiak Daily Mirror.

The dangers of refrigerant gas 

Incidents such as this are a strong reminder as to just how dangerous refrigerant gases such as Freon can be, and the importance of regular and consistent refrigeration leak assessments.

Refrigerant gases are particularly dangerous as they often do not display warning properties. This means that they may be invisible and odourless, and not easily detectable to humans.

However, exposure to refrigerant gas – particularly in enclosed spaces, can quickly lead to health problems such as dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, difficulty breathing and even frostbite if direct skin contact is made with a refrigerant liquid.

testo offers a number of affordable and versatile refrigerant leak detectors, such as the testo 316-3 Refrigerant Leak Detector, which are ideal for tradespeople and contractors that need to conduct leak tests on a regular basis.

This highly sensitive device is capable of detecting even minute refrigerant gas leaks quickly and easily, saving time, money and most importantly, ensuring safety for all in the vicinity.