Two men were found dead of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a Long Island auto-detailing shop on Thursday night.
Porfiro Alvarez, 54, of Freeport, and his employee, Jose Rufino Gonzalez, 25, of Bellport, were discovered inside Super Auto Detail at 1372 Lincoln Avenue in Holbrook on Thursday, Suffolk police said.
Around 6:15 p.m., police officials were contacted by Alvarez's family after they became concerned about not being able to get in touch with the shop owner since Tuesday night and finding his auto shop locked up on Thursday, New York Daily News reported.
Upon forcing entry into the car wash, authorities discovered the 54-year-old's body lying beside his 1989 GMC van, which had apparently run out of gas after it was left running with the heat set on high.
The remains of Gonzalez were discovered lying on a mattress in the back of the van, according to officials. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Since both victims were known to occasionally sleep at the business, police suspect that they might have died from the van's carbon monoxide fumes, according to CBS News.
Carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness or death, is found in combustion fumes, such as those produced by car engines, gas ranges or heating systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
Last year, carbon monoxide leaked into a recording studio at a converted factory building in New Jersey on, killing two people and sickening a dozen others, CBS New York reported.
