Three people died and two children were hospitalized after carbon monoxide filled a Ford Explorer in Toledo, Ohio, on Wednesday morning. The victims were discovered by a son who arrived to help with a flat tire shortly after 11 a.m., authorities said.
Carbon Monoxide Detected in Ford Explorer
Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong confirmed tests revealed a "high spike of carbon monoxide" inside the vehicle. Investigators replicated the conditions by starting the SUV with doors closed and a meter inside, she said in a telephone interview. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz ruled out foul play, calling the incident a "tragedy no family should endure."
Authorities have not released the names, ages, or hometowns of the victims. The grandmother and her grandchildren were inside the vehicle when it pulled into a parking lot due to the flat tire, Armstrong stated.
History of Ford Explorer Carbon Monoxide Concerns
Chief Armstrong cited a "very similar" past incident where gas seeped through floorboard holes. This case follows a six-year federal probe into Ford Explorer exhaust odors. In 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reviewed over 6,500 complaints about 2011-2017 models but found no elevated carbon monoxide levels and issued no recall.
The model year of the SUV involved in Wednesday’s incident remains unknown, Armstrong said. Further investigation will determine the source of the leak, she added, emphasizing the need for answers "for everybody’s safety."
