Responded to a resident who had mixed chlorine and bleach – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio

A resident of Tønsberg had mixed chlorine and sodium bicarbonate in the hope of opening a sink that was clogged. It didn’t go quite as planned. A strong odor arose. The person became worried and called 110. – The resident was instructed to go out into the fresh air, writes the Vestfold Intermunicipal Fire Service on Wednesday morning. At the same time, crews from the fire station in Tønsberg moved out to the house. They put on gas masks and went inside. The crews aired out with a fan and opened the drain in the sink. The person was then told to keep the windows open to vent the gas completely. Follow the advice – There are two decent substances in their own right, which are safe to use at home. But when they are mixed, they react with each other, says fire chief on duty, Tor-Atle Jakobsen. Furthermore, he advises people to read what is written on the user manual or check in other ways, if you are unsure. If someone finds themselves in such a situation, he encourages people to get out into the fresh air. – It is more important than spending time venting and standing in it. The most common way to be exposed to chloramine gas is by mixing chlorine and white vinegar in the wash bucket, writes Helse Norge on its website. Photo: Vestfold Intermunicipal Fire Service Do not mix Almost every day, Poison Information receives questions about mixing these two detergents, says Christian Haga. He is a senior advisor at Gift Information. A mixture of bleach and chlorine can lead to chloramine gas. – A gas is formed which reacts with the mucous membranes and causes burning in the eyes, irritation in the nose and throat. Symptoms are unpleasant and often peak within 6–8 hours. It varies how long the symptoms last. Often mild symptoms can last for more than a day. It is rare for chloramine poisoning to become serious. If you stay in small rooms with poor ventilation for a long time, strong symptoms can still occur during the first 36 hours, according to Helsenorge. – If you get wheezing or a strong cough that doesn’t go away, it may indicate more serious lung exposure and then you should talk to a doctor, says Haga. – The vast majority of the cases we come across have a fairly mild course with temporary ailments, he adds.



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