Srinagar- As the Valley slips deeper into winter cold, a silent threat is building inside thousands of homes. Health experts in Kashmir are urging families to stop using unvented gas heaters in sealed rooms, warning that the devices can release deadly carbon monoxide and cause sudden collapse or death without any visible warning.
Across Kashmir, people shut doors and windows to keep the warmth in. Unvented gas heaters burn LPG or other fuel directly inside the living space. Unlike traditional heating devices, there is no chimney or outlet to push harmful gases outdoors. When used for long hours in closed rooms, the air slowly fills with carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that replaces oxygen in the bloodstream.
“This danger is invisible. These heaters have no exhaust and the byproducts of combustion stay inside the room. When the concentration of carbon monoxide rises, anyone inside can be poisoned without even realising it,” said Dr Murtaza Wani, senior medical officer at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir.
Night time poses the greatest risk. People breathe in the gas while asleep, unaware of any symptoms. “They may never wake up. That is why gas heaters should never be used while sleeping,” Dr Wani cautioned.
Carbon monoxide is often called a silent killer. It has no smell, colour or taste. By the time the body reacts, it may be too late. Children, pregnant women, the elderly and individuals with heart or lung ailments are especially vulnerable.
Another physician, Dr Muzafar Ahmad Naik, said early symptoms include a pounding headache, dizziness, vomiting and confusion. “If the exposure continues, it can lead to fainting and respiratory failure,” he said. In severe cases doctors observe tiny red spots in the eyes and on the skin, foamy secretions in the airways and swelling in lung tissues caused by a critical lack of oxygen.
Medical experts say the danger does not end with carbon monoxide. These heaters also generate nitrogen dioxide which irritates the airways and can trigger asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems. For people with existing conditions, this can be life threatening.
Doctors are urging families to follow simple precautions this winter. Keep a window slightly open wherever a gas heater is running. Choose vented heaters that push pollutants outside. Install a carbon monoxide alarm and have heating equipment inspected regularly. Never use gas heaters in sealed rooms or while sleeping.
“With the bitter cold, people try to stay warm at any cost. They shut the room and turn on the heater for the night. This combination is extremely dangerous. A little care can prevent tragedies that are entirely avoidable,” Dr Wani said.
Health officials say awareness is the only antidote. They want the message to reach every household before the cold becomes harsher.
