CO Poisoning Confirmed In Death Of Man, 21, At Eel Pout Festival

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Officials confirmed Thursday that a 21-year-old man died of carbon monoxide poisoning during the Eel Pout Festival last month.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office says that Samuel Schooley, of Bemidji, died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning on Feb. 25 at the popular Leech Lake ice fishing festival.

Friends said that they found Schooley unresponsive on the top bunk of a fish house. Doctors reportedly told Schooley's family that the percentage of carbon monoxide in the young man's system was 58 percent.

Schooly's father, Tom Schooley, says he wants others to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning in fish houses.

"I'm not much of an activist," he said, "but I probably could be for this."