Generators blamed for spate of carbon monoxide poisonings as Shawinigan left powerless by storm

The deaths of two people during a large snowstorm in Shawinigan, Que., are being blamed on carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator.

They were among a series of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in the Mauricie region, where heavy snow and strong winds left thousands without power on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Local public health officials are warning residents to exercise caution when using alternative heating systems that run on fuel, propane or wood.

The officials noted that carbon monoxide is odourless and can only be detected with a carbon monoxide detector. Poisoning can be confused with flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches and drowsiness.

The two people found dead in a Shawinigan home were a man and a woman in their fifties. Provincial police believe a generator operating in the garage was a factor in their deaths.

A coroner will investigate and carry out a toxicology report to determine the exact cause of their deaths, a process that could take several weeks.

Mauricie public health officials said Wednesday they had identified at least three other possible cases of carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. Those cases, though, were not fatal.  

Red Cross sets up warming stations

Since Tuesday, 45 centimetres of snow have fallen on ​Shawinigan, which is roughly 170 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Some residents have been without power for more than 24 hours.

Volunteers with the Red Cross are welcoming residents at warming stations in two arenas in Shawinigan: the Centre municipal de curling and the Centre Gervais Auto.

The city will review the situation if the power outages extend into Wednesday evening.

At the storm's peak, about 70,000 houses and businesses in the province were without power, 40,000 of which were in the Mauricie and Central Quebec regions.

"In my 10 years working with the city, I've never seen anything like it," said Shawinigan's spokesperon, François St-Onge.

By noon on Wednesday, more than 20,000 customers in the Mauricie were still without electricity. Hydro-Quebec says there are around 100 teams working on the ground to restore power.

The bad weather led to school closures in the Charlevoix region, northeast of Quebec City, for a second day in a row. The Chic Chocs and René Levesque school boards in the Gaspé also cancelled classes on Wednesday.