Man, son overcome by fumes Milford pair open canister inside garage

MILFORD – A 45-year-old local man and his 6-year-old son were overcome by fumes Saturday when they opened a pool-cleaning solution container inside a garage.

“Apparently they had a 45-pound canister of chlorine that they used for treating the pool. It had been sitting in the sun all day and they opened it up in the garage and were overcome by vapors,” Milford Fire Chief Chris Matson said Monday.

Two first-responder firefighters from Milford Fire Department and two ambulances from Old Town Fire Rescue were called to the scene on Vicky’s Way at 4:41 p.m. Saturday.

The two Milford residents were able to move themselves into fresh air before the crews arrived.

“It was a hazardous situation,” said Matson. “We treated one of the patients and the Old Town ambulance treated the other. It was a father and his son. They were treated with oxygen.”

Both were treated at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and later released, the chief said.

The firefighters moved the chlorine container into a cool, shaded area. Pool chemicals should not be left exposed to sun or heat and should be used in a well-ventilated area, authorities warn.