[An unusual case of suicidal carbon monoxide poisoning committed using a portable barbecue grill]

Fatal carbon monoxide poisoning is relatively often encountered in medico-legal practice. Although we usually deal with events of an accidental nature, cases of suicidal character are also quite common, both in Poland and in other European countries. The source of a poisonous gas that is used by a suicide to take his life are usually exhaust fumes from cars and home gas water-heaters that are released in closed spaces. In the present report, the authors present an atypical case--the only such instance in the history of the Krakow Department--where a high carbon monoxide concentration level was achieved by burning briquetted coal in a typical portable barbecue grill. A 65-year old male lit the grill in a room locked from inside, where he had previously sealed all cracks and vents; he left a written message by the entrance where he warned his flatmates about the presence of gas. The investigation determined that the predominant underlying reason of his committing suicide were health problems. As it follows from the analysis of literature on the subject, despite extensively available materials, such a suicide method is exceptionally rare in the European or American culture, where isolated cases only are presented. On the other hand, the authors emphasize the fact that within the last score of years, using barbecue grills in suicidal poisoning has become exceedingly common in the Far East countries. The present report points to certain historical and cultural determinants that may affect such a distinct geographical polarization of the discussed method being used in some Asian countries and refers to a widely discussed by specialists significant role of mass media in popularization of such a suicide method.