Three individuals discovered dead in a bus found in a ditch along Mabura Road on Sunday succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, a postmortem has determined.
This tragic incident raises haunting questions about how the toxic gas built up inside the bus and why the victims were sleeping there.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths to provide answers.
The Police have identified the dead persons as Leon Achee, Reva Bovell and Vincent Albert Fausette.
They were found dead in minibus, BAC 7350, along the Mabura Trail at 28 Miles.
Achee was the driver of the minibus.
Police Headquarters in a statement said the minibus appeared to have been stuck in a deep pothole with the rear of the vehicle submerged.
The vehicle’s engine was on, and all windows were locked, Police said.
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in a vehicle can occur under several circumstances due to the accumulation of this toxic gas.
One of the reasons could be a damaged exhaust system. If this is the case, carbon monoxide can be trapped in the closed vehicle, instead of being expelled outside. Continuous exposure to CO within the confined space of a vehicle can result in poisoning.
Another scenario is a blocked tailpipe, perhaps due to mud or other debris. If the tailpipe is blocked, exhaust gases, including CO, can back up into the vehicle’s interior. This can happen if a vehicle is left running with the tailpipe obstructed.
Yet another scenario could be running the vehicle’s air conditioning while idling. Mechanism: If there are leaks in the exhaust system or the ventilation system is compromised, CO can enter the vehicle’s cabin through the ventilation system when the conditioning is running.
In addition, carbon monoxide poisoning can still occur even if the exhaust is separate from the manifold. The key factor is whether there are leaks or failures in the exhaust system that allow CO to enter the vehicle’s cabin.
It is suspected that the victims had slept in the bus the entire night.
Notably, the bodies of the deceased were examined for marks of violence, none were seen on the exposed parts of their bodies. No foul play is suspected.
Carbon Monoxide poisoning was my first guess yesterday.