Carbon monoxide incident in Jersey City injures 13 people

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- Thirteen people, including one Jersey City firefighter, suffered exposure to carbon monoxide at a Jersey City apartment building on Thursday.

The incident happened at a 16-family residential building at 168 Harrison Avenue.

Authorities say a call came in at 10:31 a.m. reporting people feeling ill at the apartment building.

The building tested positive for carbon monoxide, and crews immediately began searching for victims.

RELATED: Carbon monoxide safety tips

Thirteen people needed treatment. Four received treatment at the scene, but the rest went to the hospital.

Six of those individuals were listed in critical condition.

Here's a breakdown of those in critical condition:

- Woman, 40

- 2 teen girls (ages unknown)

- 13-year-old boy

- 44-year-old man

- Pregnant woman (age unknown)

Officials said five of the critical patients were taken to a hospital in the Bronx for hyperbaric chamber treatment.

A building representative, PSE&G and fire department officials were at the scene investigating.

Officials said it appeared a malfunctioning boiler may have caused the exposure.

The Jersey City mayor's office issued this statement about the incident:

"The City has aggressively inspected dozens of Trendy Management properties and issued more than 1,000 violations for housing, heath and fire code violations over the past several months. As for this particular address, four building code violations were issued in April and on re-inspection in May had been abated. With regard to today's incident, the fire inspector found two units that were in violation with no working CO or smoke detectors, and will be issuing violations to the building management. Additionally, as the building's boiler malfunctioned and caused the carbon monoxide exposure, it has been red-tagged and put out of service until a plumber can repair.

"Our city code inspectors and the Quality of Life Task Force are continuing to work closely with tenant organizations to address complaints and concerns at properties owned by Trendy Management. Life safety issues such as the heating systems and smoke and CO detectors, as well as fire suppression systems, will all be re-inspected with inspectors taking a zero tolerance policy for any violations."

Tenant advocates say they haven't dealt with this particular building yet, but they have been fighting for tenants in several other Trendy Management buildings.

Diane Maxon calls them the worst slumlord in Jersey City.

"We had one woman who had a hole above her shower for two years with water or some kind of fluid dropping down through it. We've had huge roach problems, huge rat problems," Maxon said.