very sad incident accured in Rotterdam; woman came home to find both her elderly parents in the garage with the car running if you hear a helicopter(ETA 16 minutes) the medivac landing @ Jefferson school
This is all the information that is available at this time.
Rotterdam couple sickened by carbon monoxide By JIMMY VIELKIND, Staff writer Thursday, January 10, 2008
ROTTERDAM -- An elderly man and his wife were taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital when they were poisoned by carbon monoxide Wednesday night in their Melrose Street home.
Police received a call a relative of an elderly resident of 452 Melrose St. around 9:56 p.m. The man said his wife became dizzy and lost consciousness in their home, Rotterdam police said. When fire department personnel arrived, they tested the house and found high levels of carbon monoxide, and odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal in higher doses. The couple were taken to Albany Med one by ambulance, one by helicopter -- where both are expected to recover, police said. Their names and conditions were not immediately.
The original post gave the impression that these two elderly people were trying to commit suicide. The gazette article gave a different impression. I'm reading it as an accident. But maybe I'm reading this wrong.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Elderly couple recovering after carbon monoxide scare Thursday, January 10, 2008 By Steven Cook (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — An elderly town couple — married for nearly three quarters of a century — was out of the hospital this morning after a carbon monoxide scare Wednesday evening, their son confirmed.
Stella and Frank Wtodarczak, who are both in their late 90s, were taken to Albany Medical Center for carbon monoxide poisoning. Frank had inadvertently left the car running in the garage, son Donald Wtodarczak said.
Stella was first overcome. When Frank couldn’t get her up, he called son Donald for help.
Donald Wtodarczak counted his mother falling as a blessing.
“It was just good that my mom had fallen in the house and he couldn’t pick her up,” Donald said. “I don’t think he realized what was going on.”
“I hate to see somebody fall, but it was a blessing.”
When Donald arrived, he smelled the exhaust immediately and called paramedics.
Rotterdam Police, along with Rotterdam EMS responded. Carbon monoxide meters indicated a very high level of the gas inside the home, police said.
The couple was taken to Albany Medical Center, one by ambulance, the other by Med Flight.
Family members spent the night with the couple at the hospital. They were released by 6 a.m. after their blood levels returned to normal.
Frank Wtodarczak is a retired Army Depot worker, Stella is retired from General Electric. They married April 22, 1934 at St. Adalbert’s Church in Schenectady, according to their 2004 announcement for their 70th wedding anniversary. Their 74th is coming this year.
They had three children, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, at the time of the announcement.
“They’re just down-to-earth people who worked hard their whole lives and they’re enjoying their golden years,” Donald said. “But age is catching up to them.”
ROTTERDAM Elderly couple saved by fall Carbon monoxide leaks into home from idling car BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122 or scook@dailygazette.net.
An elderly Rotterdam couple — married for nearly three quarters of a century — were out of the hospital Thursday, only hours after a potentially deadly carbon monoxide incident in their home. Stella and Frank Wtodarczak, both in their late 90s, were taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning. Frank had inadvertently left his car running in their garage Wednesday night, son Donald Wtodarczak said. Stella Wtodarczak was overcome. When Frank couldn’t get her up, he called his son for help. Donald Wtodarczak said that his mother’s fall was a blessing. “It was just good that my mom had fallen in the house and he couldn’t pick her up,” Donald said. “I don’t think he realized what was going on. “I hate to see somebody fall, but it was a blessing,” he said. When Donald arrived at the Melrose Street home, he smelled the exhaust immediately and called paramedics just before 10 p.m. Rotterdam police, along with EMS personnel, responded to the house. Carbon monoxide meters indicated that there was a very high level of the deadly gas inside the home, police said. The couple was taken to Albany Medical Center, one by ambulance, the other by Med Flight. Family members spent the night with the couple at the hospital. They both were released by 6 a.m. after their conditions had returned to normal. Frank Wtodarczak is a retired Army Depot worker, and Stella is retired from General Electric. They were married on April 22, 1934, at St. Adalbert’s Church in Schenectady, according to the 2004 announcement of their 70th wedding anniversary. Their 74th is coming this year. The couple had three children, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, at the time of the announcement. “They’re just down-to-earth people who worked hard their whole lives, and they’re enjoying their golden years,” Donald said. “But age is catching up to them.”