A Novato California Firefighter killed in San Diego County in October 2003 may have been disoriented by carbon monoxide.


The NIOSH Report can be found here:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face200336.html

Carbon monoxide may have disoriented Novato firefighter Steven Rucker, who died while battling the fall 2003 Cedar wildfire.

A new report from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health concluded reduced oxygen in the blood, or hypoxia, would explain why Rucker appeared confused and walked toward flames when he was ordered to retreat to the safety of a house minutes before his death.