Six people rushed to hospital after using barbecue to heat granny flat

Six family members have been rushed to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, with authorities blaming their choice of heater.

Six family members have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning after using an unsafe method to try and heat up their granny flat. Picture: Nine

Six people have been rushed to hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after they reportedly tried using a barbecue to heat a granny flat.

Two children and four adults were treated by paramedics at the Merrylands home, in Sydney’s west, just before 4.15am Tuesday, before being taken to hospital.

The group are understood to be related.

Paramedics responded to the emergency before 5am on Tuesday. Picture: Nine

Four paramedic road crews and a NSW Ambulance Inspector were dispatched to the scene.

The four adults were transported to Westmead Hospital, and two male paediatric patients were transported to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

NSW Ambulance said all patients were in a stable condition.

“All patients were suffering nausea and showing signs of drowsiness – consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning,” NSW Ambulance’s Inspector Andrew McAlpine said.

“Thankfully one person was aware enough to call Triple Zero, preventing a potential tragedy.”

“In this cold weather, it’s so important to follow the public messages about staying safe as you keep warm – and having working alarm systems.”

Exposure to carbon monoxide for a prolonged period can be deadly, and also poses a threat to emergency workers attending the emergency, NSW Ambulance special operations officer Marcus Hunziker said previously.

“There are significant dangers when it comes to these sort of jobs – where not only the patients, but emergency services can also become exposed,” Mr Hunziker said.

“While the symptoms can be similar to a cold – it has the potential to be deadly if exposure is left too long.

The six people were all taken to hospital. Picture: Nine

“Carbon monoxide starts to replace oxygen in the body, which we all need to function, when there is prolonged exposure, the symptoms can elevate and patients can have an increased shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, loss of consciousness and, in the worst case, even death.”

Carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless, and can cause illness or death in people and animals in enclosed spaces.

Carbon monoxide can be fatal is exposure is prolonged. Picture: Nine

Red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide quicker than they pick up oxygen, so if there is a lot of carbon monoxide in the air, the body may replace oxygen in blood with it.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to detect because the symptoms can be confused with fatigue, the common cold or the flu but without the fever symptoms.

People who suspect they may have carbon monoxide poisoning, should leave the area and get fresh air immediately.