FOUR CHILDREN SICKENED BY HOME HEATER FUMES.

Byline: CHARLES F. BOSTWICK Staff Writer

PALMDALE -- Four children were taken to hospitals Friday after they were sickened in their home by carbon monoxide fumes coming from a heater, firefighters said.

Ages 2 to 11, the children are all expected to recover, fire officials said.

``We had a faulty heater that let out carbon monoxide,'' Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Ed Lozano said. ``We want to get the message out that people should have their heaters checked. This is the time of year when that type of stuff happens.''

The children exhibited the flu-like symptoms that are signs of carbon-monoxide poisoning when the family awoke Thursday morning and their parents called 911.

All were nauseated, and two were vomiting and close to passing out when firefighters arrived, Lozano said.

The carbon monoxide got into the home in the 38400 block of Pond Avenue because a forced-air heating unit was operated with its blower compartment door not properly in place, Gas Co. officials said.

People using charcoal barbecues or unvented propane heaters inside homes and apartments can also generate potentially deadly levels of carbon monoxide.

In November 1994, a 5-month-old boy and his 3-year-old sister were killed by carbon monoxide fumes from a wall heater in a rented home on Third Street East in Palmdale. Gas Co. officials said lint and dust had clogged a heater vent.

In December 2001, a Quartz Hill man and his dog were killed by carbon monoxide from a portable propane heater he was using to warm his Avenue L-2 home.

The Gas Co. will send technicians out to perform free safety inspections and do limited repairs on gas heaters and other gas appliances, Gas Co. spokesman Peter Hidalgo said.

If people suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, they should turn off the heater or other appliance and seek medical care, Hidalgo said. They should call the Gas Co. or a certified heating company or plumber to inspect the appliance.

``We suggest not to use a suspect appliance until it is inspected and serviced and determined to be safe,'' he said. For low-income households -- with annual incomes less than $28,600 for one or two people, or less than $40,500 for a family of four -- the Gas Co. will repair or replace inoperative heaters.

People can call [phone] for an inspection. Hidalgo warned that Gas Co. technicians currently are busy because many people are calling for inspections or because they find problems when they go to start their heaters in cold weather.

SAFETY TIPS

The Gas Co. offers tips to ensure the safe and efficient operation of natural-gas furnaces:

Have gas furnaces checked at least once a year by a licensed heating contractor or plumber or the Gas Co.

Vacuum and clean regularly around the furnace, particularly around the burner compartment, to prevent a build-up of dust and lint.

Never store items in, on or around the appliance that can obstruct airflow.

Forced-air unit filters should be checked monthly for lint build-up and cleaned or replaced, if necessary.

Never operate a forced-air furnace without the front-panel door properly in place because doing so may create the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Check the appearance of the flame. If it is yellow, large and unsteady, the furnace needs to be inspected immediately.

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SAFETY TIPS (see text)