Posted on 01/20/2005 5:54:35 PM PST by LurkedLongEnough
FARMINGTON -- Investigators are monitoring a situation at the UConn Health Center where two people have died within days of each other, leaving other health center employees concerned.
Officials are trying to determine if the deaths are related. The two workers sat at adjoining desks, according to a health center spokeswoman.
The identity of one of the workers is not being released although she is described as in her thirties or forties.
The other is Andy Soltis, 63, from Southington. He worked in that billing department for 15 years. Co-workers say he was a very proud father who died suddenly on Monday with his family by his side.
The building where the two employees worked just yards apart is called Dowling South. The building is home to the physicians billing department.
Leaders of the union that represent the university health workers say other workers became concerned after hearing of the two sudden deaths of seemingly healthy adults.
At the unions request the health center began an investigation into whether something inside the building was responsible for the deaths. So far tests done by the university and by federal workplace inspectors have shown no problems and the university says there is no evidence the deaths are related.
Both the university and union representatives say there have been complaints about something in the building, making people sick before. Every time there have been complaints tests have been done and every time nothing has been found.
The university stresses the building remained open and they say there are no known threats to workers. The union says so far they are happy with the response and an investigation will continue.
Weird story in that it doesn't even begin to describe the symptoms that preceded the deaths. Were they even remotely the same?
Bump.
Why no mention of their symptoms, if any, before they died?
Deaths at health center have some alarmed
by News Channel 8's Jocelyn Maminta
(Farmington-WTNH, Jan. 20, 2005 4:53 PM) Environmental complaints and the unexpected deaths of two employees working in the same department have some UConn Health Center workers feeling a bit uneasy. Officials say there is nothing to point to the two deaths being related. Rather, they say it's really more the timing that has raised concern.
Wednesday Connecticut OSHA was in and out of a medical office building on the campus of the UConn Health Center. Specifically it is running tests done in the first floor in the area of patient financial services where the unexpected deaths of two employees within a week have some co-workers worried.
"I think the fact the two deaths occurred so close in time made people worried for a very short of time that the building had something to do with it, but we really don't think it did," says Dr. Eileen Storey, director of UConn's Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The section under scrutiny has its own heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, and there have been some ongoing symptoms.
"There have been some employees in that area with some respiratory symptoms, chronic cough and some sinusitis, and they are concerned the building is contributing to that," says Dr. Storey.
So now UConn Health Center is re-evaluating that part of the building from top to bottom.
"I think right now what we're trying to do is to see whether we've overlooked something that has to do with water incursion because people are describing a musty smell in their area."
UConn Health Center says the results of the tests done yesterday should be available in 10 to 14 days.
That size building there must be hundreds working there. Could be coincidence, especially if one died in a plane crash or something else natural.
Typically poor journalism. No report as to whether these deaths were documented by physicians as "mysterious." Where's the ME on this? I don't mean it isn't disconcerting, I just mean it's lousy hournalism - not enough facts.
great minds
This story has all the facts except the essential ones!
Yeah they forgot,,, to blame it on Bush...
The Hartford Courant has more info on what OSHA has been checking, but I would speculate that it mainly focuses on respiratory symptoms. I can't post the Hartford Courant article because they have their lawyers looking at us.
But, alas, par for journalistic course nowadays. Who, what, when, where and how are...so...like, y'know, twentieth century!
Another story #4, and the dumb reporters STILL never managed to say what they died of...!!!??
Hmmm...
Not enough information. One was 63 yrs old. No symptoms...who died first. They sat together and could have been friends. Maybe the older guy was distressed about his desk mate dying unexpectedly...had a heart attack.
You can see it if you are on I-84. Pretty big place.
Statistically, you will get 1000 heads in a row in 1000 coin flips, once in a great, great, great while.
Sounds like that's what happened.
"died within days of each other"
How many? What did they die of?
There would be no story if the writer were a good writer.
Great medical center - I had surgery at John Dempsey about 4 years ago, and their staff was wonderful.
I work nearby in Farmington and I hadn't heard anything of this. So many people work at UCHC that this could just be an unfortunate coincidence.
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