Winter time power outages are often the causes of such deaths because people are trying to keep warm so they don’t think to “crack” a window an inch or so to let fresh air in. So, in small areas the burning (oxidizing) flame, plus one’s own breathing will deplete most of the oxygen in the room. A lit kerosene lamp could pose a problem in a small/tiny room but not very likely in a large room or multi-room abode. Some dummies that live in 1-room apartments have used those small hibachi charcoal grills to “cook dinner on” and experienced unfavorable results by doing so.
The burning or oxidation of a carbon based fuel depletes the oxygen (O2) and creates two by-products, carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The CO2 is not really that dangerous except in really high quantities. But the carbon monoxide, like the oxygen, when you breathe it into your lungs it will attach to the hemoglobin in your blood. But unlike the oxygen, the carbon dioxide will not detach and after all your red blood cells have become carbonmonoxyhemoglo bin you will be unable to “breathe in” and absorb any oxygen no matter what you do. You will have become asphyxiated.
