Dear Yeshiva World News,
On Motzei Yom Tov, the Teaneck Ambulance Corps responded to a frum family whose carbon monoxide detector had gone off. Upon their arrival, the Fire Department had begun ventilating the home and all 5 family members were feeling OK. The CO level in the home was extremely high. If they had not had a CO detector and had continued to sleep through the night, it would have been, chas vishalom, a terrible tragedy.
The Deputy Fire Chief on the scene stated that the cause of the CO was from the family leaving their oven on all Yom Tov and the fact that some of the vents from the oven were partially obstructed by tinfoil.
Bichasdei Hashem this tragedy was averted. I hope that people can learn two lessons from this close call:
1. Please check your ovens to make sure that they are vented properly.
2. Make sure that you have CO monitors in your house and that they are working properly. CO has no odor and will kill within a few hours. Your family’s only defense is a properly located and functioning CO detector.
All of Klal Yisrael should have a safe and enjoyable chag.
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8 Responses
gas oven?
wow, chasdei hashem
the teaneck ambulancer corps (TABC) is the local volunteer ambulance service. the local community decided that since they have a good relationship with the TABC, with many shomer shabbas members, a major voice in policy decisions, etc, that starting a separate hatzalah corps would be unwarranted.
Yes, this is a very serious thing. My cousins lost a child to carbon monoxide poisoning. It is especially dangerous because it has no scent. PLEASE make sure to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
I had our detector go off 1 hour b4 shabbos, we called PSEG they came within 10 minutes and the level was extremely high. They said the oven has to be uncovered and the house ventilated. The guy said it was his 3rd call that day.
The problem with all the gas stoves on and all the cooking plus the vents in the oven being covered with foil. We learned our lesson and make sure that while exsessive cooking , windows and doors should be open.
Boruch hashem noone was injured although I was feeling rather queezy.
And it hurts me that some put up broken equipment just to get a CO. This story shows how important such devices are.
#3 and you point is???
Rav Mechel, you learned the wrong lesson – the lesson to be learned here is that when you cover your oven, the vents must NOT be covered. If your vents are covered, even partialy, there will still be CO in your house, even if your windows are open when you cook.