Unapproved pool equipment responsible for deadly gas leak in Fort Myers Beach home

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – Two people tragically lost their lives Saturday due to a gas leak in a home near Palermo Circle in Fort Myers Beach. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of Michael DeWitt and Jack Faler, has raised serious concerns about the installation and maintenance of gas-powered appliances in residential homes.
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Faulty, unapproved pool equipment identified as cause of deadly gas leak at Fort Myers Beach home

The tragedy occurred on Saturday evening when a neighbor called 911 in a panic after discovering a body in the neighboring house.

When emergency responders arrived at the scene, they immediately noticed the smell of natural gas. Investigators now believe that a break in the pool’s exhaust system, which was located inside the house, caused the fatal leak.

Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth spoke to us about the importance of properly installing and maintaining all gas-powered appliances in homes.

“Every gas-powered appliance in the home needs to have a proper exhaust system, so it’s important that people check those exhaust systems and make sure they don’t have any breaks or anything like that,” Wirth explained.

The pool heater exhaust system was supposed to be outside the house according to the original plans. However, the system was found inside the house. TECO Gas confirmed that it was the source of the gas leak.

City of Fort Myers Beach Permit Portal

Joseph Orlandini, the owner of the company that built the home, admitted he has been friends with DeWitt for more than 20 years. Orlandini clarified that DeWitt hired a separate private contractor to install the pool equipment and it was their responsibility to obtain the necessary permits. However, records show that such permits were never obtained.

Despite the discrepancies between the original plans and the final installation, the home was cleared for occupancy after several inspections. The City of Fort Myers Beach confirmed it had no documents related to the pool approval, and the building permit for the home was revoked on Wednesday.

Fox 4

When asked if an investigation was ongoing, city officials referred the matter to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office due to the ongoing criminal investigation.

The Fort Myers Beach Fire Department also offers free carbon monoxide detectors to residents in the 33931 zip code.