Police respond to a house on College Street on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Three people were found dead and two were hospitalized after emergency personnel responded to an incident at 109 College St. in Butler. Zach Zimmerman/Butler Eagle
According to Mayor Bob Dandoy, there is no danger for the neighbors of 109 College St. or the community at large after three people were found dead there, possibly of carbon monoxide poisoning, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, evening.
“The city is not aware of a systemic or far-reaching problem,” Dandoy said. “We will investigate to the fullest extent at any loss of life.”
Around 5 p.m. Tuesday first responders were called to the College Street property and found three people dead. Another two were taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Their condition is unknown.
Butler County chief deputy coroner John Hanovick said Tuesday evening that carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected. The Butler County Coroner’s Office said Wednesday afternoon no further information was immediately available, pending autopsies.
No information about the incident has been released by Butler police. When contacted, police said no information would be shared until after the coroner’s office completes autopsies.
Peoples Gas was notified of the incident Tuesday evening, shutting off gas and sending technicians to the residence for a safety sweep.
According to Nick Paradise, the external communications manager at Peoples Gas, the company is awaiting an update from authorities before the company takes any further steps.
As of Jan. 1, the city adopted a new rental ordinance to guarantee fire safety features in rental properties. According to the ordinance, all rental properties must include one carbon monoxide detector in the vicinity of any fossil fuel appliance.
Councilman Don Shearer, who spearheaded the ordinance, said that required detectors will help to reduce carbon monoxide poisoning deaths.
“We held a training session for landlords in October where we held a large discussion related to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and their placements,” Shearer said.
