Recently, Ms. Zhang in Hangzhou installed a “energy gathering ring” for barbecue on the stove at home, resulting in a family of three emergency hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to the Hangzhou Daily, on the day of the barbecue, Ms. Zhang closed the doors and windows to block out the heat outside, and then turned on the air conditioning. Shortly after, Ms. Zhang felt her head heavy, her son sitting beside her said he felt “weak,” and her husband also felt a bit tightness in his chest.
The family rushed to the Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital for examination. After diagnosis, all three were confirmed to have carbon monoxide poisoning. They received hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and fortunately, timely medical treatment did not result in serious consequences.
According to the inspection by the gas company, the “energy gathering ring” at Ms. Zhang’s home does not match the gas stove, blocking the oxygen intake channel when in use, causing incomplete combustion of gas and generating a large amount of carbon monoxide leading to poisoning.
The “energy gathering ring,” also known as a flame concentrator or energy-saving ring, is said to be able to block wind, save energy, and increase heat efficiency, and it has been selling well online. However, in reality, the “energy gathering ring” not only does not have energy-saving effects but also poses safety hazards.
Reportedly, in recent years, there have been multiple carbon monoxide poisoning incidents nationwide caused by the use of “energy gathering rings.” In 2023, there was a carbon monoxide poisoning incident in Haidian District, Beijing, caused by the use of a gas stove with the “energy gathering ring,” resulting in 2 deaths.