Group Home Residents Checked For Carbon Monoxide

By Andrew Gorosko

Seven people at a group home for the disabled were transported to Danbury Hospital to be checked for any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning following an incident late on the night of Sunday, October 28.

At 11:27 pm, Newtown Hook & Ladder firefighters responded to 27 Ridge Road, after receiving a carbon monoxide alarm from that address. Ability Beyond Disability operates that property as a group home for adults with disabilities. The home houses older adults of both genders.

Kim Bragoli, a spokeswoman for the organization, said on October 31 that after medical checks were made at the hospital, all seven people were determined to be fine, were released from the emergency room and returned home.

“They did very well,” Ms Bragoli said.

Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Dave Ober said that after firefighters arrived at the scene, a resident of the home complained of possible carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, so it was determined that all residents should be medically checked as a precautionary measure.

It is unusual for that many people to be transported to a hospital from a single incident.

An apparent furnace malfunction resulted in the presence of carbon monoxide in the house at levels high enough to be of concern, Chief Ober said.

Firefighters ventilated the house and assisted Newtown volunteer ambulance staffers at the scene, he said.