"Thought They Were Just Sleeping": Couple Found Unconscious From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After Police Leave

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Over the weekend, a man and a woman in their 30s staying at a motel in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. Although police who initially responded to the call thought they were simply asleep and left, the man remains in critical condition.

Reporter Lee Tae-gwon has the details.

[Reporter]

The lights are completely turned off at a motel building in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.

The entrance is firmly locked with a notice stating that the interior is under construction.

At around 7:50 p.m. on August 30, a motel staff member called 112 reporting that a man and a woman in their 30s staying at the motel had not come out past check-out time and did not respond to knocking on the door.

After checking the inside of the room, the dispatched police officers concluded that the guests were asleep and left without taking any particular action. However, another report was received at around 7:00 a.m. the next morning, and the guests were found unconscious with foam coming from their mouths.

They were transported to a hospital where the woman regained consciousness, but the man is reportedly still in critical condition.

According to measurements by the Korea Gas Safety Corporation, 400 ppm of carbon monoxide was detected in rooms including a first-floor guest room where they stayed. Police explained that this level can cause poisoning symptoms if exposed for more than three hours.

Police believe that carbon monoxide leaked from the basement boiler room of the building, causing the accident, and are investigating the exact circumstances, including whether the initial response of the dispatched police officers was appropriate.

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At around 5:30 p.m. yesterday, a six-vehicle collision involving a truck and a van occurred near the Bucheon Interchange Three-Way Intersection in Ojeong-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The accident left two drivers, including a man in his 70s and a man in his 40s, with minor injuries.

Police presume that the multi-vehicle collision began when the driver in his 70s rear-ended an SUV driving ahead.

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Around the same time, a man in his 70s was found dead after falling into an agricultural drainage ditch in Cheongha-myeon, Gimje, North Jeolla Province.

Police are investigating the incident, believing that the man fell into the water while setting up a fishing rod holder.

(Video Reported by Lee Yong-han | Video Edited by Park Ji-in | Footage Provided by Gimje Fire Station in North Jeolla Province)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.