A 55-year old restaurant manager died and more than 20 others were hospitalized after exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide at Walt Whitman Shops, a mall in Huntington Station on Long Island, New York, Saturday night.
Emergency personnel were contacted just after 6 PM when a woman fell and sustained a head injury. The emergency crew members who responded, felt light-headed as well and found out there was carbon monoxide leak in the area.
"The original call was that a woman had fallen and had a head injury," said Suffolk County Police Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick. "That's possibly as a result of the carbon monoxide. That ultimately was not the person who died. That was someone else. But that's what started the response of the emergency personnel."
Andrea Golinsky, a spokeswoman for the Huntington Community First Aid Squad, said that the manager of Legal Sea Foods in Huntington Station, Steven Nelson, died. Nelson was found unconscious after a female employee fell and hit her head in the basement of the restaurant. The police tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful.
Golinsky said another person was in critical condition and that of those who were rushed to the hospitals, nine were police officers and rescue squad members. Huntington Hospital, which treated some of the victims, said those affected by the gas were treated and released.
Authorities said that parts of the mall, which is consist of more than 80 stores including Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Saks Fifth Avenue, were evacuated. The Cheesecake Factory and Panera Bread, which are both located next to Legal Sea Foods, were evacuated and aired out for precautionary measures.
Police probing the incident, said the carbon monoxide came from the basement of Panera Bread and the leak was possibly caused by a faulty heating system. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that is toxic to humans and animals in large concentration. Carbon monoxide poisoning is incidentally, the most prevalent of fatal air poisoning in many countries.
Legal Sea Foods said it is saddened by the news. "We have few confirmed details, but our prayers are with all those affected and their families," the company tweeted. "We are profoundly saddened to learn of the tragic death of our General Manager Steve Nelson. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
