CANADA:
A baby died and four young siblings were in critical condition after they were accidentally exposed to bedbug fumigation chemicals at their western Canada home, police said Monday.
Shazia Yarkhan’ sister was trying to kill bed bugs with a chemical brought from Pakistan, where the family had recently vacationed.
The substance used in the apartment was a pellet form of phosphine, an agricultural pesticide that is strictly controlled in Canada and requires special training to use.
When exposed to the air, the pellets react with moisture and release phosphine gas. The gas is both colorless and odorless but extremely toxic.
Within hours of the fumigation taking place, all five children that were present in the home became seriously ill, with the youngest losing its life.
Although the pellets were contained mainly within one of the bedrooms, fire crews detected the substance throughout the apartment.
Crews found readings of 4.0 parts per million in the bedroom. It’s immediately lethal at 5.0 parts per million, but can be harmful at 1.0 parts per million after just 15 minutes.
One emergency worker said: ‘There was significant exposure.’