A generator on top of the roof being used by the roofing contractor is believed to be the cause of a carbon monoxide alarm Jan. 19 at the Twin Rivers Animal Hospital on Route 33 in East Windsor., East Windsor Vol. Fire Co. 2 responded to the alarm and arrived as the evacuation of employees was in progress., According to Fire Chief Mario Batista, he was advised by veterinary hospital manager Gina Bongiorni that there was still some staff inside the building operating on a pet., “Upon entry, my multi-gas meter spiked to unsafe levels,” said Chief Batista. “In the procedure room, there was a veterinarian and a tech who were in the middle of a procedure. The doctor said the procedure was halfway done.” The chief then requested the staff members to safely stop the procedure and evacuate due to unsafe carbon monoxide levels., “The pet was carried out by the veterinarian and staff,” said Chief Batista said, adding that the dog was placed in the chief’s vehicle to keep it warm until staff was able to transport the dog to Freehold to complete the procedure., During the evacuation, Chief Batista was advised that there were four to five staff members who were experiencing carbon monoxide symptoms, including two with nausea. Two ambulances were requested to respond for medical treatment., The East Windsor Police Department, along with fire departments from East Windsor and Hightstown, responded to the incident. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson EMS and Cranbury EMS responded to the scene to assist., Firefighters shut off utilities and ventilated the building. Gas readings were continually monitored until the facility was deemed safe to re-enter., Chief Batista added that carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air. “Carbon monoxide is responsible for multiple deaths each year across the country,” he said., The cause of the incident was determined to be from a generator on top of the roof being used by the roofing contractor., “The unit was positioned near the fresh-air intake to the building,” the chief said, adding “the contractor fully cooperated with the fire department to quickly resolve the problem and did so with the utmost professionalism.”
