New Jersey Boy, 9, Dies In Home With Leaky Furnace; Sister In Critical Condition

A 9-year-old New Jersey boy died and his 10-year-old sister was in critical condition Tuesday from carbon monoxide poisoning, police said.

The children's mother found them unresponsive at around 7:25 a.m. in their bedrooms at 1157 Passaic Avenue in Linden, according to CBS2, before she began CPR.

The girl was rushed to Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in extremely critical condition, according to CBS2, while the boy was rushed to Trinitas Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The incident appears to be an accident caused by improper venting of fumes from the furnace, according to the report.

The Linden Fire Department responded to the house and found high levels of carbon monoxide in the bedroom, noting the house had a carbon monoxide detector but it did not appear to be working, according to nj.com.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Danny A. Robertozzi, superintendent of Linden schools, released a statement:

"Today, the Linden Public School District mourns the loss of a third grade student from School No. 4. According to the Linden Police Department, our student’s untimely death appears to be a tragic accident caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. The entire Linden Public School community is deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our most heartfelt sympathies and thoughts go out to the family and the entire School No. 4 community. There will be grief counselors and support assistance on hand for the duration of the week for students, staff, and families who may need help coping with this tragedy."

The National Fire Protection Association offers some tips on CO prevention:

• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
• Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
• Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
• A generator should be used in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.
• Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO — only use outside.