Holiday warning! Beware of carbon monoxide hazards, odorless killer

A local synagogue has issued a warning to be aware of potential carbon monoxide hazards when leaving a flame lit without proper ventilation over the three day Yom Tov (holiday).

An email from the Agudah of the Five Towns noted that a member awoke to the shrill alarm of his carbon monoxide detector and cleared everyone out of the house and called the fire department. The fire department explained that leaving a flame on for a long period of time with inadequate ventilation led to the buildup of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide gas. The poster of the email said that he had heard of many calls to the fire department for carbon monoxide.

It is best not to leave a flame burning but if it is necessary either keep a vent or fan on to the outside or keep a window open to prevent the build up of carbon monoxide. It is also vitally important to have a carbon monoxide detector, tested and maintained, as well as a smoke detector.

The Young Israel of Woodmere conveyed the following information from the Woodmere Fire Department:

Carbon Monoxide

Both Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret fall on Thursday and Friday followed by Shabbat. That means that on two occasions there are three consecutive days that people might leave their stoves on. You should be aware that leaving the oven or stovetop on for three days could cause a buildup of Carbon Monoxide in your home.

The best solution for this is to leave the kitchen window slightly open for ventilation purposes. Once you do this, you must keep an eye on the flame to insure that it does not go out. The best alternatives to this are warming trays or a warming cabinet. These items can be left on a timer and are used to warm food.

When warming food, if you are using a second tin with water, please make sure that there is an adequate amount of liquid in the second pan. This will prevent the burning of the food and of the pan that the food is in.

Every home should have working Carbon Monoxide detectors!

Yom Tov and Shabbos candles

During the Yom Tov of Sukkot, we light candles in the Sukkah. This can become problematic depending on weather conditions. If it happens to be particularly windy outside, there can be an issue with the candles being knocked over and starting a fire. Please be aware of your surroundings and take the necessary precautions.

If there are any issues, please do not hesitate to call the Woodmere Fire Department at 516-821-3600, or for any emergency call 516-374-2000 or 911.