Worcester City Worker Is Victim Of Possible Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
WORCESTER (CBS) – A 47-year-old city worker from Worcester was found dead in his home Wednesday, and it appears a gas generator in his garage was to blame.
Michael Murphy, who worked for the Sanitation Department had not been seen since Monday.
Emergency crews performing a well-being check found Murphy dead on the kitchen floor and there was a strong odor of engine exhaust in the home. A gasoline powered generator was found in the garage but was not running at the time. Police say it was in an area that was not properly ventilated.
There does not appear to be any signs of foul play, but the exact cause of death has yet to be determined.
Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien released the following statement:
"The thoughts and prayers of our City family are with Mr. Murphy and his loved ones. The cause of death is under review. That said, the recent multi-day, widespread power outages, the extensive use of generators, and many unfortunate deaths due to carbon monoxide poisonings from poor placement of these devices, are sad reminders to us all to be smart and safe when using such equipment. Carbon monoxide is an odorless toxic gas and we all must take heed that any power equipment use must be in well ventilated, exterior locations away from flammables."
