COAL TOWNSHIP - An elderly township couple and their disabled daughter were found dead in their home Monday morning from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley identified the victims as Wayne S. Maurer, 93, Catherine M. Maurer, 84, and Mary Jo A. Maurer, 43, all of 220 S. Oak St. They were pronounced dead just before 11 a.m. Monday in their separate upstairs bedrooms, where the coroner believes they passed away Friday night.
Kelley reported the home was heated by a gas furnace, which malfunctioned for unknown reasons, and that no carbon monoxide detectors were found in the house.
Kelley said toxicology testing was performed at Shamokin Area Community Hospital. Assisting Kelley at the scene were deputy coroners James R. Gotlob and Barry J. Leisenring.
A good brother
Wayne Maurer's sister, Beatrice Gruneberg, 83, of 852 W. Wood St., Coal Township, said she never expected a call like the one she received Monday.
"We're taking it as we go. It's such a shock. I still can't believe it," she said Monday evening.
She and her brother were two of eight siblings.
"He was a good guy and would do anything for anybody. He was a good brother," she said.
She last saw her brother about a month ago. She had been in the hospital recently, preventing her from contacting her brother, even though she meant to.
John Baran, owner of Baran's Auto Body, 205 S. Oak St., said the small section of Coal Township between West Mulburry and West Pine streets was blocked off by Coal Township and Shamokin police and other emergency personnel, who borrowed a ladder from Baran in order to access the white, two-story house from a second-story window.
Baran said he often fixed the Maurer's Dodge Caliber SXT, which was parked outside the house in a special parking spot. He rarely spoke to the women, but interacted with Wayne Maurer on many occasions.
"He was a good old guy. I always joked around with him and called him 'old fart,'" recalled Baran as he worked on a vehicle in his garage. "For as old as he was, he still motored on good."
Baran would often see the older gentleman smoking a cigarette outside his house or driving by in the family car.
"It's a shame. I'll miss the old man," he said.
'Self-sufficient'
Next door, at 872 Pine St., Marcella Walter described the news as "quite a shock."
"It's a quiet neighborhood. We didn't know them well, but we always waved and said hi," she said.
Despite age and physical disabilities, "They seemed to get around well. As old as they were, they were pretty self-sufficient," Walter said.
She last saw Wayne Maurer outside his house last Wednesday using a weedwacker. Twice a day, Wayne drove Mary Jo to Shamokin Area Community Hospital, where she was a medical transcriptionist.
Jessica Trell, director of public relations and development at the hospital, released a statement on behalf of her fellow employees.
"Our hearts are heavy and filled with great sadness today. We have received notice on the loss of our co-worker and friend, Mary Jo Maurer. She was a dedicated member of our SACH family and supportive in her team-oriented environment. We are saddened by this tragic news and wish to express our condolences to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed," she said.
Trell said Mary Jo was employed with the hospital since 2002.
Gruneberg said Mary Jo suffered from spina bifida, a developmental congenital disorder of the spinal chord, since birth.
"They took good care of her," she said of her brother and sister-in-law.
Faithful people
Helen Christiano, of 941 W. Pine St., recognized the family from church.
"I saw her (Catherine) and her daughter every Saturday night when they went to Mass at Our Lady of Hope. Father Adrian Gallagher would take communion down to their seats," she said.
The Rev. Gallagher said he and the church were saddened by the loss.
"They were very, very faithful people. We will miss them a great deal," he said.
Both Mary Jo and Catherine were members of the church, but Wayne was not Catholic, although he was "their chauffeur," he said.
Gallagher said Mary Jo was on the pastoral council that advises him on church situations, and had attended a meeting only a week ago.
"She loved her work, and she loved Shamokin hospital. She was talking to me about the upcoming merger, and wondering how things would take place. She was very dedicated. She was very courageous about her condition," he said.
He said Catherine was proud of her Polish background and was originally a member of St. Stephens parish before joining Our Lady of Hope.
170 deaths per year
Joseph Swope, communications manager for UGI Utilities, said a service technician was called to the scene Monday and determined there were traces of carbon monoxide in the house.
"Our sympathy goes out to the family. Unfortunately, this is the most likely time of the year where these tragedies occur, when people are turning their heat on for the first time. It was cold these past few days," he said.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that results from the incomplete burning of fuels such as wood, charcoal, gasoline, kerosene, oil, natural gas or propane.
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 170 people in the country die every year from carbon monoxide produced by non-automotive consumer products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that several thousand people each year seek emergency-room treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Swope said carbon monoxide deaths are rare.
"A lot of time they're detected before a fatality occurs," he said.
Swope sent out a press release Monday to urge consumers who use fuel-burning heating systems to take proper precautions to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning (see sidebar).
Furnace trouble in Mount Carmel
At approximately 6 p.m. later Monday, Mount Carmel fire departments were called to the home of Jim Rowland at 435 W. Fourth St. for a carbon monoxide leak.
Anthracite Steam Fire Chief Jack Williams Jr. said the home's furnace was turned on Monday, releasing the poisonous gas into the residence. When tested, the air had 50 parts per million.
"It's not very high, but below 35 is considered safe," Williams said.
However, they instructed Rowland to turn the furnace off until a service technician can repair it and the fire department can inspect it.
"This is the prime time of year. The weather has a lot to do with it, being heavy. Heavy air can force fumes back down into the house," Williams said.
The connecting house at 431 W. Fourth St. was also inspected and found to have two parts per million from the leak, he said.