Family of six poisoned by carbon monoxide amid fire safety warning

A Sydney family which suffered carbon monoxide poisoning after using a charcoal barbecue inside their home has revealed soaring power prices led to a decision that almost cost their lives.

A Sydney family which suffered carbon monoxide poisoning after using a charcoal barbecue inside their home has revealed soaring power prices and cost-of-living pressures led to making a decision that almost cost all their lives.

The family of six Iranian refugees was rushed to hospital on Monday night with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after they started feeling sick.

Households across the country are looking at ways to reduce power bills amid skyrocketing costs of living but fire chiefs warned people not to use charcoal barbecues indoors.

Married couple Najem and Razia Nawaseri brought their outdoor charcoal barbecue inside after temperatures dropped to 9C in Merrylands on Monday night.

Najem Nawaseri and his 13-year-old son Raeed Nawaseri are feeling lucky to be alive after being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Thirteen-year-old Raaed said he thought he just woke up feeling sick, unaware it was most likely carbon monoxide poisoning.

“I didn’t realise it was this,” the youngster said as he pointed to the outdoor heater. “It had no smell, it was just on but I was feeling very dizzy.”

Fire and Rescue NSW is warning the public not to bring outdoor cookers and heaters indoors. Picture: FRNSW

Mr Nawaseri quickly realised what was going on after waking up light-headed himself and finding his son vomiting in another room.

“When I woke up I was very dizzy and then I understood (what was going on), then I saw my young son vomiting and then I called triple-0,” interpreter Hossein Hardnai said on behalf of Mr Nawaseri.

The father of three just wanted his family to be warm on what was a very cold winter’s night: “I wanted to make my son warm because at night time it was so cold.”

Mr Nawaseri said it was tough to keep up with the surging cost-of-living pressures in Australia, especially as a refugee.

A family of six were taken to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning. Picture: 7 NEWS

“(It’s) very expensive, the gas and everything,” he said.

“A lot of people’s heaters do not work and they don’t have enough money to pay.”

FRNSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said that the family was very lucky to be alive. “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer … You won’t smell it when you’re asleep,” he said.

“It was so close to being a complete tragedy.”

Commissioner Paul Baxter said most of the tragedies were “preventable”.

“The message is loud and clear and not enough people are paying attention,” he said.

“Portable heaters, especially bar heaters will kill you if you are not careful with them. Keep anything combustible a metre from the heater, clothing, curtains, couches and furniture, turn them off when you go to bed.

“We need to wake up and take simple inexpensive steps to protect our irreplaceable things, our lives.”