4 people died of Carbon Monoxide poisoning after a car was left idling in the basement garage of a house in Queens, New York
Carbon monoxide is suspected to have caused the death of 4 elderly people in a house in Queens, NYC on Friday. 83 year old Jerry Hugel and his 80 year old wife Marie as well as their tenant 70 year old Gloria Greco and Walter Von Thadden a 70 year old friend were all found dead in their house on 86th street Avenue in Floral Park. According to the authorities the house filled with gas after a car was left running in the basement. The house didn’t have any carbon monoxide detectors even though it is required by Amanda’s law in New York since 2009.
Amanda’s Law is named after a 16 year old girl who died of carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping over at a friend’s house. This law requires that every one or two-family dwelling, condominium, cooperative and each unit of a multiple dwelling shall have an operable carbon monoxide (CO) detector. The use of a battery operated detector is allowed for homes built before 2008. All homes built after this date must have the alarm hard-wired in the building. Amanda’s Law also requires contractors to install a CO alarm when replacing a hot water tank or furnace if the home is not equipped with an alarm. CO detectors are required only if the dwelling unit has appliances, devices or systems that may emit carbon monoxide or there is an attached garage.
Read more in the New York Times