Rockland officials: Unauthorized fire response service's mistake endangered lives, rogue group must be stopped

Officials said Matzilei Aish responders detached a clothes dryer they believed to be the source of the harmful gas, told residents not to use it, and left. That turned out to be a major, and nearly tragic mistake.

Ben Nandy

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Oct 18, 2024, 9:38 PM

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Updated 13 days ago

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It was a mistake that could have killed people if left unaddressed.

Rockland County leaders are trying to crack down on what they call a rogue, untrained, unequipped fire response group, who are responding to emergency calls in the Monsey area.

At about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, residents of a multifamily home on Phyllis Terrace called Matzilei Aish fire response service to report a carbon monoxide leak.

Officials said Matzilei Aish responders detached a clothes dryer they believed to be the source of the harmful gas, told residents not to use it and left.

That turned out to be a major, and nearly tragic mistake.

"They're goal is to be helpful," Rockland Fire Coordinator Chris Kear said, "but they're not."

Kear said residents who still had a bad feeling then called real firefighters at the Monsey Fire Department.

Upon their arrival, Kear said, carbon monoxide meter readings showed levels close to 200 parts per million, which could kill someone over the course of a few hours of steady exposure.

Monsey firefighters traced it to a heating unit and shut the unit down immediately.

Kear said the Matzilei Aish responders have been asked to join their local, legitimate fire departments.

"They refused to do that," Kear said. "They just want to exist on their own where they have no oversight by a PESH, by an OSHA or by the state."

Ramapo police is investigating the group.

There is nothing to arrest anyone for, yet.

"It was never addressed in the penal law," County Executive Ed Day said Friday, "because nobody thought this would happen."

Day, a retired NYPD officer, said Matzilei Aish members can still be arrested with the right evidence.

"If they interfere with a fire response, they could be arrested for a misdemeanor," he said. "So that's one thing."

Several residents on their ways to Friday synagogue services told News 12 they would call 911 or call the Monsey Fire Department directly, during an emergency, and do not trust Matzilei Aish.

Other said their rabbis have advised them to call for help from legitimate fire response agencies, not Matzilei Aish.

An operator who answered the organizations emergency line said no one was immediately available to speak with News 12 about procedures and training.

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