Watford – ÖFB goalie Daniel Bachmann was ruled out in Watford’s 3-2 defeat by Huddersfield. The 28-year-old saw two yellow cards in injury time within a short space of time. He got the second for a kung fu action in the opponent’s penalty area following being brought down beforehand. Bachmann has completed all 40 possible games for the English second division team this season. Watford is in the middle of the table. (APA, April 7, 2023)
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Significant increase in carbon monoxide poisoning since the start of power outages in Montreal
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
More than 60 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning leading to emergency room visits have been reported in the past few hours to Montreal Public Health, which is calling on people experiencing power outages to exercise caution.
Since Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of Montrealers have been plunged into darkness. In this context, many citizens have decided to use auxiliary heating devices, notably powered by natural gas, inside their homes. Others, for their part, have used cooking appliances intended for outdoor use in their homes, such as charcoal-fired barbecues.
However, “this poses a major risk of carbon monoxide poisoning”, indicates in a press release the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, which has noted more than sixty cases of poisoning in the last hours, “an exceptional situation”. “The situation is particularly worrying in the neighborhoods of LaSalle, Montreal North, Saint-Laurent, Ahuntsic and Pierrefonds,” the statement added.
⚠️ NEVER use fuel-burning appliances (propane appliance, gasoline engine, barbecue, lamp, stove, patio heater, generator, etc.) indoors. If you use a generator, place it outside in a ventilated area and away from doors and windows. ⚠️
— MTL Fire Safety (@MTL_SIM) April 7, 2023
The emergency room is overflowing
The numerous cases of poisoning reported in the metropolis have had the effect of increasing the pressure on the emergency rooms of several hospitals, which show occupancy rates in some cases exceeding 200%. A man is also dead following using his barbecue in his residence, in Saint-Eustache, announced Friday the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, during a press briefing held in Montérégie.
In interview with The Dutythe head of the emergency measures office of Montreal Public Health, Simon Bilodeau, recalled that carbon monoxide poisoning might lead, in extreme cases, to loss of consciousness or even death.
However, such poisonings “are avoidable” if we refrain from using “combustion devices intended for indoor outdoor use”, underlines the Public Health of Montreal. The latter therefore recommends that people who experience a power outage go to the emergency shelters and heat drop-in centers opened by the City if they need to warm up.
To see in video
On the night of Friday to Saturday, during the last pre-metro run, a driver mistakenly entered the pre-metro tunnel instead of the one leading to the Liège motorway. The driver’s journey ended at Diamant station. While it is common for drivers to make such errors, most usually realize their mistake and turn back without causing any significant damage. However, some drivers persist, such as a 4×4 driver who entered the tunnel above Albert station and drove all the way to Midi station, resulting in a bill of €22,000. STIB, the public transport company, charges drivers for the delays caused to trams (€1,000 per hour per tram line), damage caused to installations, and the cost of extricating the vehicle. While STIB claims to take necessary precautions to prevent such incidents, they won’t close the tunnel entrances with grids as trams must always pass. (Pictures available on their Facebook page)
The incident took place on the night of Friday to last Saturday, at the time of the last (pre)metro. A motorist was driving Place Meiser. Probably unaccustomed to the intricacies of traffic in the capital or her eyes too riveted on her GPS (or both), she thought she was entering the back alley leading to the tunnel marking the start of the Liège motorway. Unfortunately, she erred a few meters and found herself engaged in another tunnel. That of the premetro. His race ended a hundred meters further, at the Diamant station.
If it happens regularly that motorists make a mistake, most quickly realize their mistake and turn around or reverse without any damage other than a small (or big) fright. But, sometimes, drivers persist on this wrong path. Including a champion (if one can say so): driving a 4X4, he entered through the hopper above the Albert station and drove quietly to the Midi station. Four stations, one bill: 22,000 euros!
It must be said that the STIB accountants miss nothing when they calculate the damage suffered by the company. They begin by billing the delays suffered by the trams, counting 1,000 euros per hour of delay per tram line. So, if you block a section through which three lines pass, it immediately amounts to 3,000 euros per hour. If the delay drags on and shuttle buses have to be brought in to replace the trams, the cost will also be charged to the unfortunate driver. Ditto for the damage that his vehicle caused to the installations (rails, ballast, even metro station facilities). Finally, to extricate a car or van from its unfortunate position, STIB will have to call on a Unimog, a tow truck adapted to switch from road to rail. Here too, the costs will be charged to the driver. Not to mention the fact that his car may no longer drive as well as before: rims and radiator generally do not come out unscathed from this underground expedition.
In the case of the motorist on Friday, the costs should be lower: as his accident happened at the end of the service, few trams were delayed and it was not necessary to call on the shuttles. The STIB, for its part, claims to take all the necessary precautions. A car lock (an impassable hole for sedans, but over which 4X4s and vans pass without too much difficulty) is supposed to prevent untimely incursions. “But no wayexplains the spokesperson for the public transport operator, Françoise Ledune, to close the entrances to the tunnels with grids: the trams must always pass.”
In conclusion, driving in Brussels can be tricky, especially if you are not familiar with the city’s traffic patterns or overly reliant upon your GPS. As we have seen, even experienced drivers can make the mistake of entering the wrong tunnel, which can result in hefty fines and damage to both the driver’s vehicle and STIB equipment. While the STIB takes necessary precautions to prevent these incidents, accidents can still occur. So, it’s always best to stay alert, follow traffic rules, and be mindful of your surroundings when driving in Brussels.