Elderly Somerville Resident Saved By Carbon Monoxide Alarm

SOMERVILLE, MA — An elderly resident was saved by a carbon monoxide detector installed under a grant program, according to the Somerville Fire Department. Firefighters were called to a Central Street home to investigate a fire alarm and found a carbon monoxide detector going off in the basement.

The detector was installed by the Somerville Fire Department in July of 2014 under a combination federal and state grant program. In collaboration with the Somerville Council on Aging, the fire department installed smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in over 200 homes with elderly residents.

Firefighters determined the carbon monoxide leak was coming from a rotted vent pipe that connected the furnace to the chimney.

The Somerville Fire Department was recently awarded a $2,930 Senior SAFE grant. Any Somerville senior resident in need of smoke or carbon monoxide detectors should contact Debra Higgins at the Council on Aging. She can be contacted at 617-625-6600 x2321 or by email at dhiggins@somervillema.gov.