A family in Sydney has been taken to hospital after using a barbecue as an indoor heater to ward off the chill overnight.
Fire and Rescue NSW said the family of five had brought the charcoal barbecue inside as temperatures dipped in Wentworthville, Nine reports.
Firefighters were called to the unit, where three people were found unconscious around 4.15am local time.
Three adults and one child was taken to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning after breathing in more than four times the dangerous limit.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell warned the public of the "extreme risk" of using barbecues and outdoor heaters in their homes to stay warm.
"These types of items will risk the lives of you and your family rather than making you warm and comfortable in your homes," he said.
Carbon monoxide is a gas that has no odour, taste, or colour, making it difficult for people to detect.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, drowsiness, loss of muscle control, and loss of consciousness, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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