The deaths of 28-year-old lawyer Jason and 24-year-old trainee lawyer Anastasia, who were found dead inside their car in an underground parking garage of an apartment building in Piraeus, have brought renewed attention to a danger that is often underestimated: carbon monoxide.
The exact circumstances surrounding the young couple’s deaths are still being investigated by the relevant authorities. Answers are expected to emerge from the autopsy, toxicology tests, and technical forensic examination of both the vehicle and the parking facility. While the investigation is ongoing, experts are reminding the public of the dangers posed by running an engine in an enclosed or poorly ventilated space.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and highly toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels such as gasoline, diesel, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas. When a vehicle’s engine is left running inside a closed garage or a space with inadequate ventilation, the gas can accumulate to dangerous concentrations without being detected.
Speaking to parapolitika.gr, road safety consultant, driving instructor, and traffic education trainer Christos Gianoukas highlighted that this is a very real danger — one well known to specialists, but not to the general public.
Piraeus: how carbon monoxide affects the body
As he explains, carbon monoxide enters the body through breathing and binds to hemoglobin approximately 200 to 250 times more strongly than oxygen. This prevents oxygen from being transported to tissues and vital organs.
The initial symptoms can be deceptively mild: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and drowsiness. If exposure continues, loss of consciousness can occur and, in severe cases, death.
For this reason, experts stress that you should never leave a vehicle’s engine running inside a closed garage or any other poorly ventilated space, nor should you remain inside a car with the engine on — even for just a few minutes.
They also emphasize that an open window or a partially raised garage door does not guarantee that exhaust fumes are being adequately removed.
A word of warning about ferry car decks
On the subject of carbon monoxide, Mr. Gianoukas also draws attention to a common practice observed on passenger ferries as they arrive at port.
He notes that many drivers start their engines well before the vehicle ramp opens, in an effort to disembark more quickly. However, this is something that should never be done.
“There’s a big difference between one engine running and a hundred or two hundred running at the same time,” he points out, explaining why crew members ask passengers not to start their vehicles until the official signal is given.
According to Mr. Gianoukas, modern ferries are equipped with ventilation systems and, in many cases, large openings or portholes that ensure continuous air circulation throughout the car deck. This means that conditions on a ferry are not the same as those in a closed underground garage.
Nevertheless, the premature simultaneous operation of dozens or even hundreds of engines significantly raises exhaust levels in the enclosed space. For this reason, drivers should wait until the crew gives the signal to start their vehicles and begin disembarking.
What you should never do
Experts remind us that you should never:
- leave an engine running in a closed or poorly ventilated space,
- remain inside a vehicle with the engine on, even for just a few minutes,
- assume that an open window or a partially open door is sufficient to clear exhaust fumes,
- use heating or air conditioning when doing so requires running the engine in an enclosed space,
- start your vehicle on a ferry before receiving the official signal from the crew.
The Piraeus tragedy serves as a painful reminder that carbon monoxide is a danger that cannot be detected by the senses. While the exact circumstances of this particular incident are still under investigation, experts emphasize that public awareness and adherence to basic safety rules can prevent similarly devastating tragedies from occurring.
