Firefighters knocked on their doors -- telling everyone to get out of the buildings.
Officials believe a faulty boiler -- which residents say do not work very often-- sent dangerous carbon monoxide gas into the air. The odorless and colorless gas sickened many residents before they could escape.
Authorities say two of the residents suffered serious levels of carbon monoxide, while at least two dozen others had minor levels. Most of them were given oxygen.
"I had 21 percent carbon monoxide in my system. My 9-year-old had...like 12 percent and my daughter had about 9 percent," resident Nicole Harris said.
Residents say it's cold inside the building all the time and they are afraid to return back to their homes.
"It's freezing up there. Its not livable at all. It's just horrible," resident Christina Vega said.
Late Tuesday afternoon, a mobile boiler was placed on the street in front of the buildings to provide much needed heat. The Pacific Energy Company was called in to see if repairs can be made to the old boiler. If not, a new boiler will have to be purchased.
WEB PRODUCED BY: Lakisha Bostick, Nika Beamon
NEW YORK AND TRI-STATE AREA NEWS
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