(WWJ) The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says the deaths of two people in their Rochester Hills home is a tragedy that could have been prevented.
Paul Louis Kamulski, 75, and his wife, Frances Kamulski, 74, were unconscious and not breathing when they were found by neighbors who'd been asked to check on them on Friday.
At this time, it's believed that the couple died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
While the cause and manner of death are pending, there were no signs of foul play at the scene, investigators said, and autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner did not find any suspicious injuries.
The sheriff's office said Rochester Hills Fire Department officials found the carbon monoxide level in the Kamulski’s house, on E. Avon Road, was 185 parts per million — which is more than twice what's considered a lethal amount.
Officials said they couple did have a carbon monoxide detector, but that the batteries had been removed. The device was sitting on a table near the basement stairs, and the batteries were found nearby.
It's unclear, the sheriff's office said, whether or not the unit was in working connection.
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“This is a horrific preventable tragedy to lose two people,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said, in a statement. “They actually had a carbon monoxide detector in the home, but for some reason it was not in place and the batteries were out of it."
Bouchard said his office encourages everyone to check their smoke detectors and their carbon monoxide detectors each time they change the clocks for Daylight Saving Time.
“It’s a good idea to have more than one in your home and you can get them that run on batteries or plug-in with battery back-up," the sheriff noted. He added, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends as they deal with this terrible loss.”
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