Slidell mother dies of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from generator, fire department says

A Slidell woman died and her son was hospitalized Saturday following suspected cases of carbon monoxide poisoning in the portable building where they were living, authorities said.

Chris Kaufmann, chief of St. Tammany Fire District No. 1, said first responders arrived at the building off Browns Village Road around noon on Saturday after a report of unresponsive people inside a structure. They found the woman and her son inside a portable building. Outside was a portable generator that was being used to provide electricity, he said.

But a fan that was running inside the building was actually drawing in carbon monoxide being produced by the generator. Another son called 911 after seeing his unresponsive mother and brother, Kaufmann said.

The woman was dead when first responders arrived, K