A man (40s) whose body was found in a camper van on Sunday in Co Kilkenny may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, it is believed.
Named locally as Gerry Kennedy, from Tikerlevan, Coppenagh, his body was found at midday on Sunday.
The father of five had been socialising in Thomastown on Saturday night and decided to sleep in his camper van there due to weather warnings advising people against driving due to forecasted snow and ice.
Mr Kennedy, who worked as a builder, parked his camper van in a car park and turned the engine on to keep warm due to the freezing temperatures. It is understood carbon monoxide may subsequently have seeped into the stationary vehicle.
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Gardaí were alerted to the discovery of the man’s body when a local person became concerned the camper van’s engine had been running for several hours.
The man’s body was removed from the scene and a postmortem was carried out at University Hospital Waterford (UHW).
A garda spokesperson confirmed the discovery of the man’s body and said they were treating Mr Kennedy’s death as a “tragic accident”.
The spokesperson added: “Gardaí and emergency services responded to an incident in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny at approximately 12pm on Sunday.
“A man (aged in his 40s) was discovered deceased in a camper van. His body was removed to the mortuary at Waterford University Hospital.”
“A file will now be prepared for the coroner,” the spokesperson added.
Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a colourless, odourless, poisonous gas that can cause illness, loss of consciousness and death.
Poisoning occurs when it builds up in the bloodstream. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, the body replaces the oxygen in the red blood cells with carbon monoxide.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) advises that carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully.
There is also a risk of exposure to carbon monoxide from portable devices that are often used in caravans, boats and mobile homes.
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