Neighbors are dealing with shock and are helping to comfort a Hyrum woman who came home from work Friday to find that her son and husband had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.

"It was just a horrible accident," said Cache County Chief Deputy Dave Bennett, one that prompted officials to warn the public to make sure auto work is done in well-ventilated areas.

Bennett said the wife, Christine Dahle, was at work when her husband called around 11 a.m. to tell her that he was going to be in the garage, attached to the home, to work on a truck.

"She came home about 3 p.m. and found her husband and son lying on the garage floor by the truck," Bennett said.

Found dead were 50-year-old Keith Dahle and his stepson, 21-year-old Jonathan Koeven.

The garage door was closed most of the way and the truck was still running, said Bennett. Deputies figure the men had closed the door to keep out the cold and rain.

Deputies reported that Christine Dahle immediately opened the garage door and windows and called for help. When emergency crews arrived at the home, near 80 E. 100 South, they found high levels of carbon monoxide gas had seeped into the main house as well.

"This is so awful," said neighbor Dawn Harrop, who said members of the family's LDS ward likely were acting quickly to provide comfort and support.

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This is at least the second fatal carbon monoxide case reported this winter. Prominent Salt Lake attorney Bruce H. Jensen was found dead in his home by a neighbor two weeks ago when the 52-year-old failed to show up for work at his law firm.

Investigators determined the man succumbed to carbon monoxide fumes generated by an old, faulty water heater that had not been inspected for a long time.

Bennett said to make matters more emotional Friday in Hyrum, Koeven had reportedly just come back from serving an LDS mission.


E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com

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