Lethal Levels of CO in Pa. Home Knocks Two Unconscious
Nov. 23--Carbon monoxide from a defective oil burner overcame two people in their Allentown rowhouse Tuesday night. Had they not been found unconscious when they were, the might have died, a fire official said.
A resident of 513 W. Green St. came home to the three-story brick structure at 10:40 p.m. and found the two unresponsive, city fire Capt. Phil Atiyeh said. The resident called 911 and firefighters rushed to the house.
"It could have been worse," Atiyeh said. "It could have been a longer exposure to high CO levels. It could have been fatal."
City firefighters measured high levels of the poisonous gas at 513 W. Green and at the adjoining rowhouse. All five residents of 513 W. Green and an elderly couple in 515 W. Green St. were evacuated and taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Allentown.
Early Wednesday, Atiyeh did not know the medical conditions of those exposed, but he was hopeful all would recover.
On Green Street Tuesday night, emergency workers identified the problem quickly.
"I got 140 parts per million as soon as I got through the door," one firefighter radioed at 10:45 p.m. from 513 W. Green. Carbon monoxide levels higher than 100 ppm are considered dangerous.
Firefighters initially could not get the attention of the couple at 515 W. Green, so they slid a CO meter through the mail slot, Atiyeh said. Again, the carbon monoxide level was high. Firefighters forced their way in and found the residents.
One rowhouse farther west, at 517 W. Green, the carbon monoxide reading was low. But when firefighters ventilated 513 and 515 W. Green, they also asked the residents of 517 W. Green to open their doors and windows to bring in the fresh air.
The five people who live at 513 W. Green range in age from teenager to the 50s. Atiyeh said he did not know the age of the resident who discovered the two unconscious.
He blamed a malfunctioning oil burner in the basement of 513 W. Green for the carbon monoxide accumulation. The oil burner was shut off.
-- Frank Warner
Copyright 2011 - The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.
