Carbon monoxide inside Airbnb rentals has claimed 19 lives since accommodation site promised to require hosts to install detectors

Nearly two dozen people have died from carbon monoxide while staying in Airbnb rentals in recent years, and heartbroken families say the company has failed to address the problem.

“And that's terrible that Airbnb, who knows exactly what's happening, hasn't done anything to stop it,” Rosa Elena Martinez told NBC News.

Her son, Jaime Mejiam, is one of 19 who have died from carbon monoxide while staying in Airbnb short-term rentals around the world since 2013. The gas is known as a silent killer because it is odorless.

In 2014, Airbnb said they would “require” all their hosts to install carbon monoxide detectors. This mandate has yet to happen and more lives have been lost.

But families say this did not happen and three lawsuits have been filed over the situation. They called for Airbnb to require all homes on their property to be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors.

Airbnb did not respond to Dailymail.com's requests for comment in time for this report.

NBC noted that Airbnb issued statements after seven of the deaths, saying in five that it was compensation for associated costs or that it had removed the listings from the site.

“The safety of our community is the top priority, incidents on Airbnb are exceptionally rare and we take action when an issue is reported to us,” an Airbnb official told the outlet.

One of the most recent victims, Mejia, 24, lost his life to the toxic gas after moving from Miami to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2022.

Mejia was traveling on a Fulbright grant to study indigenous communities and was on a tight budget, so he found an affordable Airbnb to stay.

On October 5, 2022, Mejia was found dead in the shower of his Airbnb after turning on the heater in the bathroom to warm the water.

According to a wrongful death lawsuit against Airbnb by Mejia's family, his naked body was found face up the next day with water still flowing.

“Due to an improperly installed and damaged exhaust duct, the water heater began emitting dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide into the bathroom, slowly killing him,” the lawsuit said.

An investigation by Rio de Janeiro police found that carbon monoxide levels surrounding Mejia at the time were four times higher than the “maximum acceptable levels.” They also discovered that the rental apartment had no detectors to warn him of the impending danger.

After their family member's death, Mejia's loved ones said Airbnb never contacted them. It also took a total of ten days for his body to go through the repatriation process before his body was returned to the US.

“Unfortunately, he is not the first and he will not be the last, and other families are going through the same experience,” Martinez told NBC News.

Just weeks later, three more victims living in an Airbnb in Mexico City died after all inhaled carbon monoxide.

Jordan Marshall, 28, and Courtez Hall, 33, were found dead along with Kandace Florence, 33, during a wellness check on October 30, 2022.

Marshall's sister Jasmine previously told DailyMail.com that their family last heard from him when he called to let his mother know he was heading to the airport with Florence on October 29. They then met Hall, who flew in separately that day. .

During a conversation with her boyfriend, Florence told him she was feeling sick before the call dropped and they lost communication with each other. He then contacted the Airbnb host.

The Mexico City Attorney General's Office said security and police subsequently visited the apartment after a report of a strong odor of gas and Marshall, Florence and Hall were found dead.

Jasmine said she learned of her tragedy after Florence's boyfriend contacted her via Instagram on October 31 and flew away with her parents on November 1.

She said her brother's remains were repatriated to the United States two days later and a funeral service would take place on Friday.

On November 17, 2018, a couple died after being poisoned by carbon monoxide in their Airbnb in Mexico.

Police said the lifeless bodies of Ed Winders and his partner Barbara Moller were discovered by the apartment's landlord after not hearing from the couple for a few days.

Eric Winders, Ed's son said ABC news he was informed of his father's death by the American embassy.

“This is a devastating loss that absolutely should not have happened. No one should have to die this way,” Eric said.

He then said the couple, originally from New Orleans, had just arrived for their 11-day vacation in Mexico, a place they visited often.

Eric and his sister Jennifer told NBC News they had one meeting with Airbnb in February 2022 and offered suggestions on the matter.

“After seeing all these deaths in 2022, I honestly wonder if any action has been taken,” Jennifer said.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced when fuel does not burn completely.

It can kill someone just by being inhaled and is often called the 'silent killer'.

Common sources where the gas is found include smoke inhalation from fuel-burning appliances, vehicle exhaust, fires, and cigarette smoke.

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning often first manifest as flu-like symptoms, including headache, weakness, upset stomach and vomiting.

Mejia's family has asked for legal action against Airbnb that would force them to remove listings that do not have the proper carbon monoxide device installed.

They also requested that the use of the detectors be made mandatory, along with the inspection of fuel-burning appliances that often cause the release of carbon monoxide.

NBC News has identified six lawsuits against the company, three of which are ongoing, two settled and one dismissed.

No trial date has yet been set for Mejia's family case.

“They could pay us $1. But if they change the policy, and we make this public, it will absolutely be worth it,” Martinez said.