Fumes From Faulty Gas Wall Heater Kill Two Men, Woman

Two Navy men and a woman were discovered dead in a Bellflower apartment Friday evening after being asphyxiated by carbon monoxide released from a faulty gas wall heater, authorities said.

Beverly K. Dobbins, 27, Pasadena, had been visiting the apartment of William K. Pace, 28, and Matthew T. Hill, 20, who worked at the Long Beach Naval Hospital, when the accident occurred, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Charles Vannoy.

The bodies were discovered Friday after a co-worker of Pace arrived to see why he had not shown up for work Thursday evening.

In addition to the faulty heater, the apartment occupants sealed a door space with a towel in an attempt to keep out cold air, Sheriff’s Sgt. Tom Gordon said.

“They kind of made their own coffin,” he said. “Probably, if they hadn’t done that they would have survived.”

Denise King, a spokeswoman with Southern California Gas. Co., said she did not know if the towel would have made a difference.

A gas company inspector discovered that soot and other debris in the furnace flue prevented deadly fumes from escaping outside, King said. Also the venting system was not aligned with the fire box, which contains the pilot and the burner, she said.

King urged gas customers to check their furnaces and water heaters as a precautionary measure. A furnace’s filter should be inspected monthly and replaced if it is dirty. Dirt should be removed from the furnace and the fan compartment door on a forced air unit should be tightly closed.

A consumer should inspect the venting system for cracks and to ensure that it is not separated from the furnace, she said.

“For those who felt a jolt during the earthquake it would be wise to check the venting system,” King said.

The gas company will inspect furnaces free of charge, she said, but a heating contractor would have to make any necessary repairs.