Acushnet Fire Department Guarding Against Invisible Killer

ACUSHNET - The Acushnet Fire Department is taking action after a preventable tragedy in the town.

Two weeks ago, a father and son were found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in their home, which had no smoke or CO detectors.

Beginning today, parents of Acushnet students will be asked via email to check if they have working CO detectors in their homes. If they don't, the Fire Department will supply them with one.

It's being called "Colin's Challenge" after the nine-year-old boy that died of CO poisoning. Fire Chief Kevin Gallagher tells WBSM News the initiative began after unsolicited donations began pouring in from residents. "We had several families contact us in the days after the deaths of Joe and Colin Lopes wanting to know what they could do. And besides protecting themselves and swapping out their own detectors, making sure their own detectors work, they've been kind enough to bring in cases of carbon monoxide detectors," said Chief Gallagher.

Gallagher says his department has received thirty detectors.

The department will continue to collect donations of detectors through January, and they can be dropped off at the Acushnet Elementary School, Ford Middle School, the fire and police stations, Town Hall, the library, and the Council on Aging.