Police: 2 Dead From Apparent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Holbrook Auto Detailing Shop

The owner of a Holbrook auto detailing shop and an employee were found dead at the shop Thursday evening in an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning incident, police said.

According to police, relatives of Porfiro Alvarez went to his business, Super Auto Detail, located at 1372 Lincoln Ave., after they were unable to get in contact with him since Tuesday at 7 p.m.

At about 6:15 p.m. Thursday, the relatives contacted police after they were unable to make entry to the shop because the building was locked, police said.

Fifth Precinct officers responded and when they got inside, they found Alvarez, 54, of Freeport, inside the building lying next to his 1989 GMC van that had apparently been left running, police said.

The vehicle’s ignition was on, the heat was set on high and it appears that it had run out of gas, police said.

Officers found Alvarez’s employee, Jose Rufino Gonzalez, 25, of Bellport, lying on a mattress in the back of the van, police said.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. It appears that Alvarez and Gonzalez, who occasionally slept at the business, were overcome by the carbon monoxide fumes that emanated from the van, police said.

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the incident.

Photo: Google Maps

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