How travelers can protect themselves from carbon monoxide — as police investigate deadly gas in death of Brett Gardner’s son

Costa Rican police revealed that they now believe ex Yankee Brett Gardner’s son may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the $1,300-per-night resort where the family was staying on vacation.

The resort denies carbon monoxide was detected in Miller Gardner’s room, but admitted it was present in a machine room next door. Either way, his death is the latest overseas vacation tragedy where a carbon monoxide (CO) leak is being investigated.

In February, three Americans found dead at a Belize resort were confirmed to have succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to stay safe from carbon monoxide

But, experts said there are steps that travelers can take to protect themselves while traveling — especially to resorts outside the US.

Carbon monoxide is dangerous because it’s tasteless and odorless and it can suffocate victims before they know it’s too late.

First, is to avoid staying near the hotel’s pool — where equipment is often a hotspot for CO leaks. Second, call ahead to make sure the resort has working CO detectors. And finally, if all else fails — bring your own portable detector.

Those are the tip from Charon McNabb, the president of the National Carbon Monoxide Association.

Following the high profile cases, McNabb has issued a warning for Americans vacationing abroad this year, particularly when resorts may not make clear if they have carbon monoxide alarms in their rooms.

“Some platforms like VRBO or AirBnB, they indicate whether or not a CO alarm is present in their listings, but it’s always better to pick up the phone and check with management,” she said.

McNabb said that even if a resort has carbon monoxide detectors, that won’t matter if they aren’t tested regularly and replaced every few years.

“They have a shelf life … somewhere between five and 10 years depending on the manufacturer, and they need to be tested every six months to make sure the batteries are still working,” she said.

For that reason, travelers should always bring a CO alarm if they don’t get “assuring answers” to their questions, she said.

The NCOAA sells a travel detector that costs about $135.

The most dangerous spot in a hotel for exposure to carbon monoxide are rooms adjacent to the swimming pool, McNabb explained.

“The hot water heater for pools or the boiler is typically troublesome,” she said. “A lot of times, pool maintenance workers will keep the pool chemicals in a utility closet where that heater or boiler is stored.

“What most people don’t realize is that those chemicals cause corrosion, meaning it makes the equipment rust faster, which means that the venting system will become compromised quicker.”

Such corrosion is typically only visible on equipment kept behind locked doors, making it all but impossible for guests to spot the warning signs, Charon explained.

“If you’re staying at a hotel with a pool, and you’re staying by a pool, be very cautious and make sure you have your CO alarm with you,” she said.

Warning signs

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms are often missed before it is too late, because they are indistinguishable from other common complaints you might suffer on vacation, such as food poisoning, jet lag or fatigue.

“A lot of people will tend to think that they have food poisoning, maybe dehydration, or fatigue,” she said. “You also may get a headache, weakness, confusion. Some people get chest pains. But the problem with relying on symptoms is that it looks like everything, but then once you are experiencing the symptoms, you’re already experiencing brain injury.

“The damage is already taking place, and that damage can prevent you from making good logical choices,” she said.

“Sometimes you get confused or you get real tired and your coordination starts to go. So all you really want to do is lay down, which is the worst thing possible you can do.”

Resort denies deadly carbon monoxide

The hotel room where Miller, 14, was sleeping contained “high levels” of the gas, Costa Rica’s Judicial Police revealed on Monday.

It isn’t known whether all of the rooms at the resort were the Gardners were staying had regularly tested and maintained their carbon monoxide alarms.

However, the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort denies that the deadly gas was detected in the room.

“We understand the concern has grown, and to clarify, the high levels of carbon monoxide were in a mechanical room that guests do not occupy,” a hotel spokesperson told The Post.

“The levels in the hotel room were non-existent and non-lethal. There was an error in this initial reporting. As mentioned, we await for conclusive results to confirm the cause of this unfortunate death.”