17 Feb 2012
The government in Northern Ireland has announced that Housing Executive properties in the region are to be fitted with a total of 40,000 carbon monoxide (CO) detectors.
The move follows calls to improve gas safety in the home after two teenagers died of CO poisoning in Castlerock two years ago.
Aaron Davidson and Neil McFerran, both 18 and from Newtonabbey, were staying at a holiday apartment with a third friend, Matthew Gaw, who survived.
Homes with glass-fronted fires were already fitted with new CO alarms in an earlier programme.
Announcing the new measure, housing minister Nelson McCausland said: “Safety in the home has to be a primary concern for any landlord and I have previously raised the issue of carbon monoxide detectors with the Housing Executive and also the housing associations.
“This work sets an excellent example to all landlords, and indeed homeowners, to safeguard the health of those living in properties which burn fossil fuels.”
Copyright Press Association 2012