Carbon monoxide kills four

Four family members were found dead Monday in their home of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning, bringing the death toll from the Northwest’s worst storm in a decade to 14.

The four -- one woman and three males -- were found in a home in Burien, a south Seattle suburb, along with another relative who was clinging to life, said King County sheriff’s Sgt. John Urquhart. Like many in the area left without power after the storm, they had been running a generator in their garage, authorities said.

“Other family members had last talked to them around Saturday,” Urquhart said. “They called us to make a welfare check. We broke into the house and found them.”

Carbon monoxide -- an odorless, colorless and highly toxic gas -- also was responsible for killing two men over the weekend. One had been using a portable generator in his living room; the other was using a charcoal grill to heat his bedroom.

At least 100 people have developed symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide since winds knocked out power to more than a million homes and businesses late last week.