Carbon monoxide forces evacuation of patients and staff at Saddle River hospice

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SADDLE RIVER — The Villa Marie Claire hospice was evacuated Tuesday night after high readings of carbon monoxide were detected in the building’s basement, a borough official said.

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Patients and staff members at the Villa Marie Claire hospice were evacuated Tuesday.
Eleven patients and four staff members were transported to Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck as a precaution, said Chuck Cuccia, the borough’s deputy emergency management coordinator.

None showed any signs of health issues related to carbon monoxide exposure, Cuccia said.

The carbon monoxide reading in the building when emergency personnel arrived was 5,000 parts per million, Cuccia said.

“It was a huge number,” Cuccia said.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is toxic to humans in high concentrations. A carbon monoxide level between 0.5 and 5 parts per million is considered safe for a home, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Readings closer to 10 or 15 parts per million would trigger an emergency response, Cuccia said.

“Even at the 10 parts per million level, we would evacuate a building on that,” Cuccia said.

Firefighters and first aid squads from at least five surrounding towns rushed to the three-story building on West Saddle River Road when a mutual aid alert was activated shortly after 9 p.m.

About 55 firefighters were assisted by the Bergen County hazardous materials unit and crews from the Public Service Electric and Gas Co.

The problem apparently stemmed from a furnace in the basement. The boilers in the basement were shut down, Cuccia said. Emergency crews were “pushing” fresh air into the building to eliminate the carbon monoxide, Cuccia said.