CORGI, the gas safety watchdog, is warning householders to be vigilant about chimneys and flues becoming blocked.
Appliances should be switched off if there is any chance that building work may have jammed a flue and a registered installer should be contacted before switching them on again.
The warning comes after the tragic death of Robert Schenker who died from carbon monoxide poisoning after poor workmanship by a builder blocked his chimney.
Paul Hoskins, an inspector with the Health and Safety Executive commented:
"Robert Schenker's tragic and wasteful death could, and should, have been avoided by the builder taking straightforward safety precautions. HSE inspectors involved in this case were appalled by the poor workmanship and failure to carry out the most basic safety checks to ensure the correct operation of the flue, which directly led to the fatal incident.
"Anyone carrying out work on flues and chimneys should check they are inspected and tested sufficiently to ensure they are in a safe condition.”
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