Mom, 4 kids rushed to hospital with CO poisoning; Property owner could face discipline

GLASSPORT, Pa. — A family of five suffered carbon monoxide poisoning Wednesday, and on Thursday Channel 11 learned the case may be criminal. Natalie Henderson and her four children, ages 5 to 15, were found on the porch of the Glassport home they were renting on Vermont Avenue. First responders said the family, who had just moved into the home from Virginia on Wednesday, had symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning. The family was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. An 11-year-old boy was in the worst shape. According to the police report, the gas company red-tagged the furnace and stove earlier in the day, meaning the home was unsafe to live in. “The landlords basically have to make sure that the properties they are renting out are properly inspected. We don’t know what happened yet,” said Dave Kowalski, the Glassport Borough Council president. Glassport Mayor Rosemary Bradley also said the property owner has some explaining to do. “I am so upset. I’d love to see this guy personally. If I had the money, I’d fine him myself. This is just terrible,” Bradley said. Officials are pursuing borough violations and criminal charges, saying the home was not fit for anyone. “Who actually went in and did he have the proper people fix or go into fix the gas lines or work on the appliances? If not, that’s where our citation will come into play,” Glassport police Chief Howard Kifer said. Kifer said before any homeowner in Glassport rents to anyone, they must have their property inspected and get an occupancy permit. According to Kifer, that didn’t happen in this case. Henderson told Channel 11 the property manager apologized.

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