I almost suffocated while driving! It was because of the cold drinks in the trunk...

Recently, a man in Shanghai was suddenly out of breath while driving, and it turned out to be because of a box of cold drinks in the trunk. Fortunately, the police arrived in time, lifted the man into the ambulance and sent him to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Driver nearly suffocated while driving

The culprit turned out to be the cold drink in the trunk

Recently, the Bijiang Road Police Station of the Minhang Public Security Bureau in Shanghai received a call from a citizen, Ms. Zhou, saying that her husband, Mr. Zhang, suddenly felt unwell while driving and was about to pass out.

The police quickly rushed to the scene, cooperated with the 120 emergency personnel to break the window, lifted Mr. Zhang into the ambulance and sent him to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Mr. Zhang put a box of cold drinks in the trunk of his car. Image source: Minhang Police

It was learned that Mr. Zhang had a box of cold drinks in the trunk of his car, which was refrigerated with solid carbon dioxide (commonly known as "dry ice"). As the dry ice evaporated, he inhaled excessive carbon dioxide in the closed compartment, causing physical discomfort.

The doctor said that fortunately the rescue was timely, otherwise it would have been very likely that an emergency such as lack of oxygen and suffocation would have occurred. At present, Mr. Zhang has been discharged from the hospital.

Dry ice is not "ice". If it is not handled properly, it may cause explosion, suffocation, frostbite and other serious consequences. So, how to use dry ice correctly? Let's learn together↓

What is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, usually a non-toxic, odorless white solid with various shapes. Dry ice will directly sublimate into carbon dioxide gas at room temperature and pressure, with an expansion coefficient of about 800-1000 times, and will produce a lot of smoke when in contact with hot water.

Improper use of dry ice

Potentially fatal

1. Explosion

Using dry ice in a sealed container: Dry ice can easily turn into carbon dioxide gas at room temperature, causing the sealed container to explode.

Image source: Guangdong Fire Department

Placing dry ice in the refrigerator: The sublimation temperature of dry ice is about -78.5°C, while the temperature of the refrigerator freezer is between -4°C and -24°C. Therefore, after the dry ice is placed in the refrigerator, it will continue to sublimate and produce a large amount of carbon dioxide gas, causing excessive pressure inside the refrigerator and causing an explosion.

Image source: Guangdong Fire Department

2. Suffocation

The carbon dioxide gas formed after the sublimation of dry ice can cause breathing difficulties and may lead to suffocation and death in a short period of time.

3. Frostbite

The temperature of dry ice is extremely low and direct contact with the body can cause frostbite.

Guidelines for safe use of dry ice

1. Never store dry ice in sealed containers such as cans or mineral water bottles or in the refrigerator ; do not use dry ice in enclosed spaces such as cars and cabins.

2. Do not touch dry ice directly . To avoid frostbite, use antifreeze gloves or tongs to handle dry ice.

3. If you experience symptoms such as gasping or difficulty breathing, you may have inhaled too much carbon dioxide and should leave the area immediately.

4. If dry ice is accidentally ingested, seek medical help immediately.

Dry ice has a wide range of uses, but its potential hazards cannot be ignored. In daily life, we must use dry ice correctly to avoid accidents.

Planning and production

Source: National Emergency Broadcasting, Comprehensive News, Guangdong Fire, People's Daily Online Science Popularization

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin