One dead, 1 hospitalized in carbon monoxide incident on Long Island
MELVILLE, New York (WABC) -- Detectives are investigating the death of a man apparently due to carbon monoxide poisoning in Melville.
Police arrived on the scene on Scott Drive around 8:30 Thursday morning.
55-year-old Stephen Yancofski died. His wife, 59-year-old Kyriaki Bouziotas, was taken to the hospital.
She had called her daughter complaining about throwing up, investigators said. When the daughter arrived at the house, she found her step-father unconscious and called 911.
"The mother was complaining of throwing up all morning, and the father was unconscious, but breathing at the time," said Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer of the Suffolk County Police Department.
The 911 operator asked the woman to try to get the couple out of the house, but she was not able to do so due to their weakened condition, police said.
Yancofski died at Plainview Hospital. Bouziolas remains in serious condition at Nassau University Medical Center, where she was being treated in a bariatric chamber.
Authorities say they measured CO levels at 35 parts per million in the home. Normal levels are 0 to 5 per million.
They suspect the problem came from a loose exhaust pipe, on a water heater in the basement.
"The pipe was supposed to vent outside the house, but it had become dis-assembled, so it was venting into the house," said Beyrer.
Yancofski was a contractor, most likely well aware of the dangers, and always helping his neighbors. But authorities found no CO detectors, in his home.
"The shoemaker didn't have a good pair of shoes," said neighbor Bob Deturris. "Probably. He did a lot of work on his house, but he also worked like 12 hours a day at his regular job, so I guess he really didn't have much time."
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