REGINA – The City of Regina has confirmed that one person has died following a carbon monoxide incident at an apartment building in downtown Regina. While the city did not release an identity or age, according to a page on a fundraising app, the victim is Henry Losco, the 11-year-old son of Marina Hills and Sergio Losco.
The GoFundMe, page started by a coworker of Henry’s mother, says funds will be forwarded to Nychuk Law. The page indicates the family had moved into the apartment building only a few weeks ago.
The city provided further details about the incident Monday.
They report that on Friday, Dec. 19 at 7:54 p.m., Regina Fire & Protective Services responded to a call at the 1800 block of Albert Street about two unconscious occupants in a multi-family building.
They report that fire crews and Regina EMS were on the scene. The initial report was that two individuals had been sent to hospital, but according to this latest update, one individual was transported to hospital in critical condition while the second occupant was pronounced dead at the scene.
The city reports that during the response, crews detected dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and upgraded the incident to include the Hazardous Materials Team. Fire crews, along with gas inspectors, identified and shut down the source of the carbon monoxide leak.
Occupants of the building were evacuated Friday night, but all impacted residents were cleared to return to their homes as of 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Because this incident involved a fatality, a multi-agency investigation is underway including Regina Fire & Protective Services, Regina Police Service, Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.
It is still not known what caused the incident; fire investigators continue to work to determine the exact cause.
At this time Regina Fire & Protective Services is issuing a reminder to all Regina residents to ensure they have a working carbon monoxide detector in their home. They state that Saskatchewan regulations require carbon monoxide detector in all homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages. They say detectors must be installed outside each sleeping area and on every level that contains a fuel-burning appliance. You are urged to your carbon monoxide detector regularly, to replace batteries as needed, and to never ignore an alarm. The fire department notes that carbon monoxide is a colourless, odorless gas that can be deadly, and that a functioning detector is the best way to protect yourself and your family.
