By Jerome Hughes
AN elderly woman living alone in the Oldtown area of Letterkenny fears she could be the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning and has accused Donegal County Council of ignoring her concerns.
Approaching her 80th birthday in July, Brigid Barry’s quality of life is marred by her recent discharge from Letterkenny University Hospital, where she received treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Brigid has an external oil burner located in her back garden but the smoke flue, which by nature emits toxic gases, is positioned close to her patio door.
“I would like to get the smoke turned away,” she said.
“In the television ads they call carbon monoxide ‘the silent killer’ and so I’m scared that it could be doing big harm. My breathing is very bad and I do think that the fumes from the oil burner are having an effect.
“The oil burner is outside but there are gaps in the door that cause a draft. The air comes in and the dangerous fumes come in with it. When I go out to the back garden and come back in again that obviously allows the smoke in too.”
As the property is owned by Donegal County Council, Brigid believes the local authority has a responsibility to resolve the issue.
More information on this story can be found in today’s edition of Derry People Donegal News, available in your local outlet or subscribe online: https://my.donegalnews.com/
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