Jason McCartney MP calls for gas safety as Eastenders' Heather falls victim to the silent killer

16 February 2011

Last night, Eastenders' viewers watched a very real domestic tragedy unfold as single mother Heather Trott was left fighting for her life from carbon monoxide poisoning. Just one in a recent slew of recent high-profile accidents, including Charlotte Church and Nadine Coyle – the incident highlights the dangerous nature of Britain's most common cause of fatal poisoning today – carbon monoxide.

Aware that her boiler was faulty, Heather, like many people hit by the current economic situation, was unable to find the money to fix it. While Heather's plight remains unknown, viewers will no doubt be left considering how to protect themselves against the deadly gas.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Gas Safety is a cross party group of MPs and Peers, who are committed to raising awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide and other related issues in parliament and among the general public.

Jason McCartney, co-chair of the Group said:

"As Heather's accident shows, gas safety is of paramount importance in the home. The APPGSG recommends that everyone's boilers are serviced at least annually, by a qualified and registered Gas Safety engineer, and that audible carbon monoxide alarms are installed in every home. The dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning mean that this will be time and money well-spent".

As Heather's fate lies in the balance, gas safety should be recognised as an issue affecting not just Eastenders fans, but the whole of the UK.

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