SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) -- It might be another day before an autopsy proves what killed a school janitor at the Syracuse Academy of Science High School whose body was found in the midst of a carbon monoxide leak.
When the body was discovered by another staff member Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, carbon monoxide (CO) detectors worn by firefighters went off when they entered the building.
As the building was being evacuated, other staff members working in the kitchen complained of symptoms possibly caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Of the 12 people examined by ambulance services, five were taken to the hospital.
The school confirms the building has carbon monoxide detectors as required by state law, including in the cafeteria. The Syracuse Fire Department is investigating whether the detectors worked properly during Tuesday's incident.
Later on Tuesday, the Syracuse Fire Department said it identified an improperly vented kitchen appliance as the source of elevated carbon monoxide levels.
SFD also said that carbon monoxide alarms were not present in the school's kitchen or cafeteria.
When asked about students' claims that they heard a detector chirping the day before, the school confirms a low battery was replaced.
Late Tuesday, a school spokesperson disputed suspicions that the man's death was caused the carbon monoxide leak, saying it "appears" to be "unrelated."
When checking on the claim, police said the man's autopsy is still pending and no cause of death has been determined. The victim's name has not been released.
The man, who was scheduled to work from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday night, Jan. 6, is thought to have died before the end of his shift but wasn't found until the next morning.
The City of Syracuse is requiring the school to remain closed pending the installation and approval of more carbon monoxide alarms, along with the submission of a safety certification of the kitchen equipment by a licensed professional approved by the Division of Code Enforcement.
The school campus is on Park Avenue in Syracuse, across from Harrison Bakery.
