Sunset Park

Noxious odor from bus depot sickens dozens of kids at Sunset Park elementary school

Jackie Gleason Bus Depot fumes 'nauseating'

December 5, 2014 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
MTA Jackie Gleason Bus Depot. Map data 2014 Google
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Firefighters evaluated 66 children and four adults at a Sunset Park, Brooklyn elementary school on Friday after the children and staff became dizzy and nauseated by a noxious odor at roughly 11 a.m.

An FDNY spokesperson told the Brooklyn Eagle that all the kids checked out OK, and that no one from P.S. 24, at 38th Street and 4th Avenue, was transported to the hospital as a result of the incident.

A school source said that FDNY and its EMS division, as well as Department of Education support, went to P.S. 24 to monitor the situation and ensure student and staff safety.

According to Sunset Park Restoration (SPR) and the Sunset Parker public group on Facebook, responders determined that the odors were from a regular maintenance at the MTA Jackie Gleason Bus Depot on 36th Street and 5th Avenue.

The groups said they received “numerous complaints” from local residents.

SPR and Sunset Parker sent a letter to Councilmember Carlos Menchaca and Community Board 7, according to Tony Giordano, who forwarded the letter to the Brooklyn Eagle.

“Sunset Parker on Facebook got numerous complaints and questions about strange smelling air,” the letter said. “The complaints ranged from 52nd Street to 40th Street along 5th Avenue. People complained of being dizzy and being nauseated.

“We were told by local residents that this odor condition happens often and the MTA confirms that this is regular maintenance and they usually do it on weekends when there are less people in the area. The MTA assures us that the odorous gas is not dangerous,” the letter continued.

Residents called upon Councilmember Menchaca and the Community Board to get more information about what gases were released, the procedure followed, and any health risks posed.

They also called for the Department of Environmental Protection to monitor the air at the bus depot to “get accurate information.”

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