FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A man has died and a woman is seriously ill after likely being exposed to generator exhaust in Fruitport Township Wednesday afternoon.
The Fruitport Township Police Department (FTPD) says public safety officials responded to a home on Herron Lane at around 12:30 p.m. after receiving word that a man had lost consciousness inside his garage.
We’re told first responders executed an emergency entry into the home after no one answered the door. A 62-year-old man and 64-year-old woman were found unresponsive on the floor of the garage. A generator was running nearby and authorities detected an overwhelming exhaust odor.
The couple were taken out of the garage but police say the man died at the scene. His wife is still listed in serious condition.
Investigation reveals the wife informed her daughter over the phone they were headed to the hospital because she and her husband felt ill, according to FTPD. The man passed out, prompting his wife to tell her daughter to phone 911. The wife did not answer the phone afterward.
No foul play is suspected but the incident remains under investigation.
Authorities urge the public not to operate generators in enclosed spaces. Set them on flat surfaces at least 15 feet away from buildings and point the exhaust away from the structure. Keep at least five feet away from generators while they are running.
