February 16, 2004 -- A Manhattan couple died and two other people were clinging to life after being poisoned by carbon-monoxide fumes from a faulty basement furnace that forced the evacuation of scores of residents from a Murray Hill building last night, authorities said.
In the first of two carbon monoxide emergencies in the city overnight, firefighters raced through the six-story walkup at 535 Third Ave. at 36th Street at around 8 p.m., breaking down doors with sledgehammers to search for victims who might have been knocked unconscious by the odorless, deadly gas.
Cops said that the dead couple, who lived on the sixth floor, showed no signs of life by the time firefighters forced their way into the apartment. Their names were withheld. Two other victims, who lived in separate fifth-floor apartments, were found unconscious. They were rushed to Bellevue Hospital in critical condition and then transferred to Jacobi Hospital in The Bronx, which has a hyperbaric chamber that helps increase oxygen flow.
Firefighters found one victim's three-legged dog unconscious in an apartment and were able to resuscitate it on the sidewalk.
Other residents declined treatment.
Deputy Fire Chief James Jackson said safe carbon-monoxide readings are 9 or fewer parts per million. Ten parts per million would be dangerous, he said, adding, "readings on the upper floors were hundreds of parts per million."
Con Ed said the tragedy may have been caused by a clogged furnace pipe.
The residents of the building, which has 22 units, were not allowed back inside last night.
Sunil Thadani, 37, a second floor tenant said, "I smelled it about 10 to 15 minutes before the firemen came. I didn't know what it was at first. I just feel so horrible. I know I've seen the couple around here."
Another resident, Alisha Davlin, who got out with her dog, Lulu, said she didn't know what was happening until firefighters banged on her door.
"They said, 'You have to get out!' The firefighters were using a sledgehammer and knocking down my neighbor's door, I guess because they didn't know if someone had passed out."
Karen So, another tenant, said this was not the first time residents had a problem with noxious fumes.
She said six people had to be taken to the hospital about three months ago. Con Ed officials at the scene would not confirm the earlier problem.
Meanwhile, in the second incident, a building was evacuated in University Heights in the Bronx - also because of carbon monoxide fumes.
Authorities said no one appeared to have suffered life threatening injuries in the six-story building at 1601 University Ave., but 28 people were sent to hospitals to be checked out.
On Jan. 13, a carbon monoxide tragedy caused by a furnace took the lives of a Bronx man and his 9-year-old daughter. His wife and 12-year-old son were sickened.
Additional Reporting by Perry Chiaramonte
