Bristol, PA – A Bristol woman was taken to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown on Thursday night after carbon monoxide filled her home and forced her family to be evacuated.
Sarah Howard, of the 200 block of Cedar Street, was being evaluated for possible carbon monoxide poisoning at the hospital Thursday night, authorities said. The LevittownFairless Hills Rescue Squad took Howard to the hospital while her husband, Charles, daughter Jackie Howard, and four children in the house ages 6 to 14 were evacuated.
Bristol Fire Co. Chief Herb Slack said a free carbon monoxide detector given to the family as part of a federal program to distribute 1,500 detectors in Bristol helped save the family. Four of the borough’s fire departments have been distributing the detectors to families in need.
It’s a big deal, Slack said, adding carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, colorless, but it can kill you.
The family reported their alarm went off Thursday afternoon and the fire department responded but crews could not find a problem. However, the alarm went off again around 9 p.m.
This time, the fire department responded and deliberately turned on the heater, hot water heater and stove. It was determined that the heater and a blocked chimney were causing a high level of carbon monoxide to build up in the home, Slack said.
The fire department checked three other nearby homes, but they were not affected.
The carbon monoxide meter showed a reading of 140 parts per million, well above a 9 ppm reading where a carbon monoxide problem could be detected and the 100 ppm reading where a house must be evacuated, Slack said.
The Goodwill Hose Co. No. 3, the American Hose, Hook & Ladder Co. No. 2 and the Bristol Consolidated Fire Co. responded and secured and ventilated the home.
Charles Howard said his wife was nauseated from the fumes.
Slack advised the family not to turn on the heating equipment until the heater and chimney were repaired.
I thank God for the fire department, Charles Howard said about receiving the carbon monoxide detector that saved his family. I have to go see my wife, he said as he headed to the hospital.