Carbon monoxide emergency at The Chequit: First responders on scene in wee hours of Monday, June 15
The call came in at 1:58 a.m. Monday, June 15. A carbon monoxide alarm had gone off at The Chequit.
According to police reports, there were only two people at The Chequit, an employee, Freddy Raxon Zett in staff quarters across the street, and the single guest of the hotel, Alison Kehner, visiting from Haddonfield, N.J.
The Shelter Island Fire and Police Departments responded, as well as the Island’s Emergency Medical Services.
According to an official report, SIFD Chief Maximilian Pelletier found the deadly gas was coming from the poorly-ventilated basement with stove burners going. The general manager of the hotel, Peter Garcia, was informed of the situation, by the chief. “I had to leave my number for him to contact us about the issue because there wasn’t a manager or house man present,” he added.
Mr. Garcia has not responded to the Reporter for a request for comment.
Mr. Zet and Ms. Kehner were evacuated and “a temporary solution” was found to rectify the situation, and the building’s doors and windows were open to air out the hotel, Chief Pelletier told the Reporter.
Ms. Kehner and Mr. Zet, the two exposed persons, were treated at the scene by EMS volunteers and later refused transport to an area hospital.
According to a friend of Ms. Kehner’s writing on Facebook, no one at The Chequit came to her assistance when the alarm sounded. It wasn’t until the Fire Department arrived on the scene that she received assistance.
Once the situation was under control, the next problem was to help “the poor lady,” Chief Pelletier said, and accommodation was found for her in the staff’s quarters.
The chief said that he and the Fire Marshall would be visiting The Chequit either on Thursday, June 18, or Friday June 19 with management to ensure there is a permanent solution to the dangerous situation.
The Chequit has a history of carbon monoxide leaking into the building. In May 2023, the building had to be evacuated twice over the Memorial Day weekend because of deadly carbon monoxide gas found in rooms and hallways throughout the hotel
The SIFD answered a call of gas on that May 26 night, around 9:30 p.m. The staff of the hotel had evacuated guests when first responders arrived. Fire Department volunteers received high readings of CO on the second and third floors of the hotel and an extensive search was made to locate the source of the gas. All guest room windows were opened.
Two days later at 9:10 a.m., the CO Alarm activation went off again and hotel guests were evacuated. The Fire Department confirmed the presence of CO throughout the building.
