Overview
- Portage fire officials confirmed that two people died after carbon monoxide from a portable generator filled their home and that a separate incident sent six people to hospital.
- Thousands of customers remained without power in Northwest Indiana while utility crews worked to restore service and officials urged caution when using backup generators.
- Local leaders, including Portage’s mayor, offered condolences and emergency responders reiterated basic safety steps such as keeping generators outdoors and far from windows and vents.
- Health authorities point out that carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless and that improper generator use is a known risk after storms, with federal data showing more than 400 annual U.S. deaths from unintentional CO poisoning not tied to fires.
- Forecasters warned of another potential round of severe weather that could prolong outages and raise the risk of further generator-related poisonings if residents do not follow manufacturer guidance and use CO detectors.