Near-toxic gas levels cancel event at Carbondale YMCA

April 22--CARBONDALE -- Carbon monoxide at the Greater Carbondale YMCA approached toxic levels Saturday, forcing the facility to close temporarily and to cancel a family-friendly event.

City firefighters arrived at the YMCA shortly before 10 a.m. after levels triggered the facility's alarms.

"If they didn't have detectors, we would have had a lot of deaths," Fire Chief Chris Pezak said. "It could have been really bad. Luckily, no one died."

Initial readings by firefighters showed carbon monoxide levels of more than 300 parts per million. A normal level would be less than 30 ppm, and a level of 400 ppm could have been deadly, Pezak said.

Construction crews, working on a renovation project, used gas-powered tools in the facility's basement without proper ventilation and caused the levels to spike, he said.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas often produced by vehicles or tools that run on gasoline.

"It was a scary, dangerous situation," Pezak said. "The canaries would have been dead."

No one sought medical attention, he said.

Instead of children playing in bounce houses and having their faces painted Saturday morning, firefighters carried large industrial fans into the YMCA to vent the facility. The Healthy Kids Day event, which included vendors, games, snacks and swimming, had to be canceled. The YMCA hopes to include the vendors at a carnival planned for this summer, said Steve Durkin, executive director.

The YMCA installed its hard-wired detectors about seven years ago -- a wise decision, especially since carbon monoxide detectors are not required in Pennsylvania, Durkin said. The YMCA reopened about 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

"Everyone was good," Durkin said. "Everyone followed direction. There was no drama."

About 200 people participated in the 23rd annual Fred Ciotti Memorial Race at the YMCA on Saturday morning, prior to the gas detection. Tim Nowakowski won the 5-kilometer race with a time of 18:16.

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