Second Stricken Landscaper Dies of Carbon Monoxide

Emergency responders at the scene of the AJR Landscaping of Cresskill trailer in Township of Washington, where two men were sickened by apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. Both later died. | Photo by Boyd A. Loving

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The second of two West New York landscapers, 26, overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a running lawnmower they had operating with them in a closed trailer,  has died.

Responding to a 9-1-1 call, police found both men on the ground, not breathing, at the Washington Pond condominium complex off Pascack Road and Linwood Avenue just after 8 a.m. Dec. 11, 2018.

CPR was conducted on both at the scene before they were rushed to The Valley Hospital. One was declared dead that day.

“His co-worker held on until last week, when he was taken off life support and his organs were harvested,” Daily Voice said it learned on Jan. 7.

“It looks like they were huddled in the trailer with the motor running to keep warm while they were working on a lawnmower,” Township of Washington Detective Heather Castronova said at the initial incident.

OSHA responded, as did township first responders and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which collected evidence.

The National Weather Service reported a low temperature of 28 degrees Dec. 11.

The trailer belongs to AJR Landscaping of Cresskill. A receptionist at the company told Pascack Press there was no one available to discuss the matter.