A family of four in Massachusetts was found dead after a carbon monoxide leak on Christmas Day, authorities said.
The Goldstein family, from Newtown, Massachusetts, were found dead in their New Hampshire lake home just before 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday after they did not attend a holiday gathering and the extended family called police, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal. Sean Toomey.
Large amounts of carbon monoxide were reported inside Wakefield's home at the time of the discovery, and the patriarch — identified as school teacher Matthew Goldstein, 52 — was determined to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Authorities told The Associated Press that the vacation home's propane-powered heating system appeared to be malfunctioning.
Leila Goldstein, 54, a project manager at Microsoft, also died in the accident, as did the couple's daughters, Valerie, 22, a fifth-grade teacher at Teach for America in North Carolina, and Violet, 19. years. Student at Al Jazeera School of Design.
Autopsies were performed on all family members on Thursday and the cause of death for the three women is still pending. Investigators said no carbon monoxide detectors were found in the home.
“Efforts to determine the cause of the suspected carbon monoxide leak remain active and ongoing, and investigators continue to examine the home’s gas heating system,” the state fire marshal said in an update Friday.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and even death if inhaled, according to the CDC.
More than 400 Americans are killed each year by unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not related to fires – more than 100,000 people visit the emergency room and 14,000 are hospitalized.
The CDC recommends inspecting and cleaning home chimneys annually, as chimneys can become clogged with debris that can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside.
The agency also recommends replacing carbon monoxide detectors every five years or according to the manufacturer's instructions.
