After Toxic Leak, Kings Point Midshipmen Return
Source: Newsday
January 9, 2012
After Toxic Leak, Kings Point Midshipmen Return
Newsday
January 9, 2012
By: Emily C. Dooley / emily.dooley@newsday.com
With: Gary Dymski and Emily Ngo
An exterior view of the U.S. Merchant Marine
Classes resumed Monday morning at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point after a carbon monoxide scare sent more than three dozen midshipmen to local hospitals for evaluation, federal officials said.
The 39 midshipmen were treated after they were evacuated Sunday night when "a gas leak was discovered in a hot water system" that serves Barry and Jones halls, the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, which overseas the federal service academy, said in a statement.
The two halls and two adjacent barracks were ventilated and a hazardous materials team from Nassau County police tested the air to be sure the buildings were free of carbon monoxide, an odorless, potentially deadly gas, officials said. Midshipmen were allowed to return to their rooms around 10:30 p.m.
"All midshipmen were able to attend regularly scheduled classes on Monday morning," the Maritime Administration said in the statement.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it is investigating the incident. The academy is under OSHA's jurisdiction.
Twenty of the students exposed to the toxic gas late Sunday were taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow; all 20 were treated and released, hospital spokeswoman Shelley Lotenberg said.
Eight students went to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset; they also were treated and released, spokeswoman Emily Ng said.
Four students were given hyperbaric-oxygen treatments at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx and also released, spokeswoman Barbara DeIorio said.
Three students refused treatment and seven went to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, Ng said. Citing confidentiality laws, a Winthrop spokesman declined to comment Monday morning.
Federal officials said none of the treated 39 midshipmen remained in any of the hospitals.
Authorities said Sunday that no one lost consciousness during the leak, but three of the transported students initially were listed in serious condition.
Those taken to North Shore were admitted at about 11 p.m.; all were released at 3 a.m.
The carbon monoxide was discovered leaking from a water heater about 9:10 p.m. Sunday, said Sgt. James Dalgish of the Kings Point Police Department.
Laurance Jacobs, chief of the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company, which coordinated the emergency response, said his crew worked with the academy's EMS crew to assist those who needed treatment at the scene.
The academy's EMS provided the initial triage and tracked patients while crews from other departments helped with residual triage, Jacobs said.
"Everybody was calm. Everybody knew what they had to do," Jacobs said.
Jacobs said the evacuations affected about 150 people, who were moved temporarily to a lecture hall.
Knut Dybvik, a senior at the academy, said students were notified of the gas leak over loudspeakers.
"They evacuated three of five buildings that people live in," Dybvik, of Houston, said.
Dybvik said he and others were kept out of their rooms for about an hour. He said he has heard few other details.
"I guess they fixed it and got people to the hospital," he said.
Newsday
January 9, 2012
By: Emily C. Dooley / emily.dooley@newsday.com
With: Gary Dymski and Emily Ngo
An exterior view of the U.S. Merchant Marine
Classes resumed Monday morning at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point after a carbon monoxide scare sent more than three dozen midshipmen to local hospitals for evaluation, federal officials said.
The 39 midshipmen were treated after they were evacuated Sunday night when "a gas leak was discovered in a hot water system" that serves Barry and Jones halls, the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, which overseas the federal service academy, said in a statement.
The two halls and two adjacent barracks were ventilated and a hazardous materials team from Nassau County police tested the air to be sure the buildings were free of carbon monoxide, an odorless, potentially deadly gas, officials said. Midshipmen were allowed to return to their rooms around 10:30 p.m.
"All midshipmen were able to attend regularly scheduled classes on Monday morning," the Maritime Administration said in the statement.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it is investigating the incident. The academy is under OSHA's jurisdiction.
Twenty of the students exposed to the toxic gas late Sunday were taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow; all 20 were treated and released, hospital spokeswoman Shelley Lotenberg said.
Eight students went to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset; they also were treated and released, spokeswoman Emily Ng said.
Four students were given hyperbaric-oxygen treatments at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx and also released, spokeswoman Barbara DeIorio said.
Three students refused treatment and seven went to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, Ng said. Citing confidentiality laws, a Winthrop spokesman declined to comment Monday morning.
Federal officials said none of the treated 39 midshipmen remained in any of the hospitals.
Authorities said Sunday that no one lost consciousness during the leak, but three of the transported students initially were listed in serious condition.
Those taken to North Shore were admitted at about 11 p.m.; all were released at 3 a.m.
The carbon monoxide was discovered leaking from a water heater about 9:10 p.m. Sunday, said Sgt. James Dalgish of the Kings Point Police Department.
Laurance Jacobs, chief of the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company, which coordinated the emergency response, said his crew worked with the academy's EMS crew to assist those who needed treatment at the scene.
The academy's EMS provided the initial triage and tracked patients while crews from other departments helped with residual triage, Jacobs said.
"Everybody was calm. Everybody knew what they had to do," Jacobs said.
Jacobs said the evacuations affected about 150 people, who were moved temporarily to a lecture hall.
Knut Dybvik, a senior at the academy, said students were notified of the gas leak over loudspeakers.
"They evacuated three of five buildings that people live in," Dybvik, of Houston, said.
Dybvik said he and others were kept out of their rooms for about an hour. He said he has heard few other details.
"I guess they fixed it and got people to the hospital," he said.