Sheriff: Elderly couple likely died as a result of generator fumes

BELLINGHAM -- An elderly couple found dead in their homes Wednesday evening likely died as a result of inhaling unventilated generator engine fumes, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said.

Around 6:45 p.m., the sheriff's office received a call that a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s was found dead in a home in the 1100 block of Central Road. According to the sheriff's office, a family member went to check on the couple after not hearing from them since around the first of the week, and found them dead.

The identity of the couple, and their cause of death has not yet officially been released. However, sheriff's deputies discovered that a generator had been running just outside a cellar door of the residence and the cellar door was slightly ajar. The generator was likely going over the weekend as many power outages were reported in the area.

Though it is not official, it "appears the couple succumbed to fumes from the generator engine," deputies said.

Sheriff's office detectives are still investigating the incident.