By John C. O'Connell
A simple housecleaning chore nearly became a toxic tragedy in Valley Stream on Monday morning, when a resident mixed ammonia and chlorine bleach, two chemicals which release dangerous gas when blended.
Four members of the Bejot family and two police officers were rushed to the hospital suffering from toxic fume inhalation and eye injuries following the searing and noxious chemical gas eruption.
Valley Stream Fire Department volunteers responded to a call at 6:23 A.M. and found Lise St. Fort, 66, her son-in-law, Louis Bejot, 44, his wife, Marie Bejot, 37, and their son, Eric Bejot, 1, all suffering from the effects of the dangerous gas created when the ammonia and bleach were mixed, reportedly to clean an upstairs bathroom.
"We searched and cleared the house, getting air into the home and we stabilized the situation," said VSFD First Assistant Chief William Croak. Valley Stream rescue ambulances brought the victims to Franklin Hospital Medical Center where they were treated, and eventually released.
Police Officers Hill Karlotto, 29, and Karen Crose, 34, were also brought to Franklin where they were treated for their injuries and released.
"These household chemicals can be very dangerous," said Ted Horishny, Supervising Fire Inspector for the Industrial Division of the Nassau County Fire Marshall's Office.
He warned that "people should read the cautionary labels on the back of all cleaning materials, especially the admonition about mixing one chemical with another." Severe breathing problems and other injuries can easily occur when these products are misused, Mr. Horishny said.
"The household cleaning products we can buy over the counter, like chlorine bleach and ammonia and others," the supervising inspector said, "are designed to be used as stated on their packaging. Unfortunately, many people feel that if they have one cleaning product that does a good job disinfecting, and another that does a good job cleansing, well, why not mix the two and get a super cleaner? Bad idea.
"The reason these products individually do a good job is because of the chemical reaction each has on the grease or material needing to be cleaned. Once you mix two individual products, very often they bond together and create a new chemical; they break down and then very dangerous gasses will be released."
The Fire Marshall's supervising inspector was intense in his advice: "Many of these gasses are respiratory irritants and they tend to attack the eyes and our respiratory system. Some mixed cleaning agents can form phosgene gas - extremely hazardous - bad enough to have been used in World War I against troops.
"Never, never, never, ever mix any cleaning chemicals together."
