There is a new threat to people in the northeastern US during Winter Storm Jonas, and it is odorless, colorless, and deadly within minutes.
Passaic, NJ mom Sasha Lynn Rosa and her two children were sitting in their car while the children’s father shoveled snow outside their car. Worried that they would get too cold sitting in the car, Rosa started the engine while they were waiting for the car and the path to be cleared.
Because there was snow covering the tailpipe, the carbon monoxide exhaust fumes couldn’t properly be expelled, and travelled into the car. Since carbon monoxide is odorless, the three had no idea what was happening.
After about 20 minutes of shovelling snow, the dad checked on his family and found them all unresponsive. Rosa and 1-year-old Messiah have passed away, and the 3-year-old is in hospital in critical condition.
“Any snow that covers your tailpipe, you want to shovel the snow from the back of the car and clear the tailpipe before you even start the car,” said Battalion Chief Chris DiBella with the Passaic Police Department.
Passaic Mayor Alex Blanco told the press on Sunday:
“It’s heartbreaking, it’s something you can’t foresee. It’s something that is not on ‘the list’ of things not to do during a storm. We’ll all have to add that to the list. Something like this, I probably would have made the same mistake.”
The community has set up a memorial for the mom and child in front of their car, and memorials have been rolling in on Facebook and social media. This accident was tragic and, as Mayor Blanco said, is something that we do not think about. And since carbon monoxide is odorless, there is no way to notice when there is a leak.
This is a good reminder to all of us to install carbon monoxide detectors in our homes and to be vigilant whenever a vehicle is running.
