Faulty Boiler Blamed For 2 Deaths In West Englewood
Updated: 11/25/10 2:01 p.m.
CHICAGO (STMW) - A man was killed and two others were hospitalized Wednesday morning after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning in the same South Side building where a woman died on Saturday.
Police went to the home of Edward Henderson in the 6600 block of South Bishop Street, about 8 a.m. and his body was found on the floor. Henderson, 52, was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner office.
A Thursday autopsy found Henderson died from carbon monoxide intoxication from a faulty heating system and his death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner's office said.
Police tested the air quality and did not find elevated levels of carbon monoxide, although tests showed that 42-year-old Lydia M. Watkins who died there on Saturday had a "high level'' of CO in her blood, police said.
An autopsy Sunday for Watkins was inconclusive and were pending the results of toxicology tests, according to the medical examiner's office.
Two other men in the building were taken to Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center; one was admitted and the other left before being treated, police said. It was not known what their injuries were, but police said they were being medically evaluated.
Peoples Gas spokeswoman Bonnie Johnson said they went to Bishop address on Monday with representatives for the medical examiner's office to do an inspection and found what they believed was a faulty boiler.
"We wrote notices for the appliances. They needed to have it repaired by a technician before being hooked up again,'' Johnson said who said boiler and appliances were shut off.
Peoples Gas went back there Wednesday after officials found Henderson.
Johnson said someone had reconnected the appliances so they placed a lock on the gas meter.
Wentworth Area detectives are investigating.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
