Seven people were rushed to the hospital Sunday night after a broken water-heater vent reportedly filled a Valley Stream house with carbon monoxide, according to authorities. Two women were found unresponsive and are in critical condition, while five other residents, including two children, were treated for exposure. First responders arrived just before 9 p.m., and medics' personal carbon monoxide meters registered dangerously high levels at the scene.
Nassau County police say officers were called to 15 Henrietta St. at about 8:50 p.m. Sunday and found a 22-year-old woman and a 47-year-old woman unresponsive. Both were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Investigators say a broken vent pipe on a water heater filled the home with carbon monoxide and all seven people were transported to Nassau University Medical Center, as reported by News 12 Long Island.
The Valley Stream Fire Department confirmed the two women remain in critical condition, and officials said police medics' CO meters sounded as soon as they arrived. Five more residents, ages 2, 10, 22, 28 and 30, were treated or transported for exposure, according to Patch.
Housing conditions and possible enforcement
Investigators told reporters the home had been illegally subdivided into multiple single-room occupancies and that they do not believe there were any operating carbon-monoxide alarms on site, per News 12 Long Island. If confirmed, that kind of unpermitted conversion can violate local rules in the Town of Hempstead, which covers Valley Stream, and can prompt notices, fines or condemnation proceedings after inspection and hearings, according to the town's housing code.
See the Town of Hempstead's housing and rehabilitation code for requirements and enforcement procedures: Town of Hempstead housing code.
Safety reminders and what to do
The incident happened the same day clocks moved forward for Daylight Saving Time, a moment officials often recommend using to test and replace batteries in smoke and CO alarms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends installing battery-operated or battery-backup CO detectors near sleeping areas, testing them regularly, and evacuating and calling 911 if an alarm sounds or anyone shows symptoms such as headache, dizziness or nausea, per the CDC.
Nassau County police say the incident is under investigation and no charges or arrests have been announced. Officials have not released further details about the property's ownership, and investigators remain on scene, Patch reports; we will update this story as local authorities provide more information.
