New York State schools not all required to install carbon monoxide detectors

The North Merrick school where 14 students and a teacher were sickened by carbon monoxide yesterday may not have had any CO detectors, News 12 has learned. The Merrick assistant fire chief says he

News 12 Staff

Oct 12, 2013, 2:27 AM

Updated 4,075 days ago

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The North Merrick school where 14 students and a teacher were sickened by carbon monoxide yesterday may not have had any CO detectors, News 12 has learned.

The Merrick assistant fire chief says he does not believe Camp Avenue Elementary School had detectors inside the building. The school district says a boiler inside the school caused the problem.

Officials say most schools on Long Island are not legally mandated to have carbon monoxide detectors. New York state only requires schools to have detectors if the building was constructed after 2007. Camp Avenue was built in 1923.

State Sen. Kenneth Lavalle says it's a safety issue that needs to be addressed. He co-sponsored a bill that would require the installation of CO detectors in every elementary and secondary school building in New York.

Teachers at Camp Avenue called 911 yesterday after students began feeling sick. Officials say the students are all OK and the school was open for class this morning.