Staten Island, NY – STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Fire Department personnel conducting a routine inspection found elevated carbon monoxide levels at a New Dorp business, resulting in two people being taken to the hospital, officials said.
While inspecting Shaggy’s Cheesesteaks on Hylan Boulevard, FDNY officials discovered the carbon monoxide levels showed a reading of 180 on their meters, where normal readings are below 10, said Battalion 23 Chief John Labarbera at the scene.
“A couple of workers cooking in the back came down with some symptoms,” Labarbera said. “We found out about it through our building inspection. The captain noticed our CO meter was elevated.”
The two employees were suffering from light headedness and nausea from the carbon monoxide exposure, Labarbera said.
A FDNY spokeswoman confirmed that two people were transported to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze. She was unable to provide the units of measurement the FDNY uses on its meters.
The incident occurred around 12:15 p.m., and the business was opened at the time, the FDNY said.
Labarbera said the source of the elevated CO came from some cooking equipment in the kitchen, but he did not know the exact source, as the investigation continued.
After about 30 minutes, the levels had retreated back down to zero, and the building was being aired out by remaining firefighters at the scene.
Engine 159 also responded to the scene, and was blocking the far right lane of traffic on Hylan in front of Shaggy’s as they continued airing out the building.
While the city mandates homeowners install carbon monoxide detectors in residences, the devices aren’t required in businesses and other areas where people gather — including restaurants.
But the City Council is set to change that: City Council Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio has introduced a bill requiring carbon monoxide detectors in places of business, school auditoriums, and other public spaces.
“These are the legitimate health risks which underscore an odorless gas that ultimately can kill people,” Ignizio said. “And I think we need to take preemptive action.”
The legislation has 50 co-sponsors – the only person yet to sign on is Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, whose support Ignizio anticipates – and is set for a Council hearing on Monday. It is very likely to pass at a Council meeting later this month.
The bill was originally inspired after several children were sickened at a CYO gym at Mount Loretto in Pleasant Plains in 2012, and were later determined to be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning – raising the question of why there weren’t detectors in the gym.
And the gas can certainly be deadly when undetected: A restaurant manager at a Legal Seafood restaurant in Long Island was recently killed during a carbon monoxide leak.
“As of late, with the Legal Seafood and now this, it just underscores the need to take action on this very quickly,” Ignizio said.
If the bill passes at the next Council meeting, it is likely to be just the second bill to land on the desk of Mayor Bill de Blasio, following the paid sick time expansion legislation he is set to sign.