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Propane death in Arviat

Man dies after evening of inhaling fumes

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Arviat (May 30/01) - A 23-year-old Arviat man is dead following a prolonged session of inhaling propane fumes.

The family of Loutie Komack summoned Arviat RCMP and health officials to the Padlei Inns North hotel at about 2:30 a.m. on May 23.

Komak was the assistant manager at the hotel. He leaves behind a wife and child.

Preliminary reports indicate the man died of respiratory and cardiac arrest resulting from propane poisoning.

Corp. Gary Hodges of the Arviat detachment of the RCMP said the victim and another man had been inhaling propane fumes at the hotel where he was employed.

"Basically, the way it happened, he and another individual were at the hotel sniffing the fumes at the same time," said Hodges.

"The victim collapsed and the other individual left the hotel, ran to get family members at their residence, and returned to the hotel with them.

"The family members phoned the health centre and the RCMP detachment," he said. "A nurse attended the scene, as well as myself and the officer on call."

Family members and health centre staff tried unsuccessfully to revive Komak using CPR and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hodges said there were no signs of foul play in the incident.

"From the information we have gathered in relation to what happened that evening, it appears the two were inhaling propane fumes for about a six-hour period off and on.

"By my experience with this type of abuse, that would be an extended period of time."

Chief coroner Elizabeth Copland said it will be a while before final results in the case are compiled.

"It will take a few weeks before we receive anything on the toxicology results," she said.

"It will probably be another four weeks before we find out exactly what was in his body, so it's going to be a while yet before this case is closed."