Death Prompts Heater Warning

The death of a Meridian man in his tent near Garden Valley prompted a warning for hunters to be careful with propane space heaters.

LeRoy Thomas, 32, died Sunday as he slept in a tent warmed by a portable propane heater, Boise County Sheriff Mike Butler said. Ventilation in the tent was inadequate so Thomas died when the device replaced the tent’s oxygen with carbon monoxide.

Temperatures fell as low as 20 degrees Sunday morning. Campers should never use a portable heater in a small enclosed area while sleeping, unless the heater is certified to produce no carbon monoxide, said Idaho Department of Fish and Game spokesman Virgil Moore.

“Get a good warm sleeping bag,” he advised.

Thomas was sleeping about 10 miles southeast of Garden Valley with an elk hunting partner, Joby Phillips, whose age and address were not available.

Phillips woke up early Sunday morning, extremely sick, Butler said. He started up his truck, turned on the heater to get warm in the sub-freezing temperatures and fell asleep in the vehicle.

“Later on, he woke up, went and tried to wake LeRoy, and was unable to wake him,” Butler said.

Phillips went to another camp, which notified authorities.

Phillips was taken to a Boise hospital, where he was treated and released. A blood sample taken from Thomas indicated he had a heavy concentration of carbon monoxide in his body, Butler said.