UPDATE August 29th:
LCSO has confirmed the gas leak to be accidental and not a murder-suicide.
Two people tragically lost their lives on Saturday due to a gas leak at a home off Palermo Circle on 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 equipment in residential homes.
Watch Anvar Ruziev's full coverage:
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday night when a neighbor placed a frantic 911 call after discovering a body in the house next door.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they immediately identified the odor of natural gas. Investigators now believe that a breach in the pool-related exhaust system, which was located inside the home, led to the fatal leak.
Fort Myers Beach Fire Chief Scott Wirth spoke to us about the importance of proper installation and maintenance of any gas-operated equipment in homes.
"Any piece of equipment in the home that is operated on gas has to have proper exhaust systems in place, so it's important people are checking those exhaust systems and making sure there are no breaches or anything in them," Wirth stated.
The pool heater's exhaust system should have been located outside the home according to the initial plans. However, the system was found inside the house. TECO Gas confirmed it as the source of the gas leak.
Joseph Orlandini, the owner of the company that built the house, revealed that he had been friends with DeWitt for more than 20 years. Orlandini clarified that DeWitt had hired a separate private contractor to install the pool equipment, and it was their responsibility to secure the necessary permits. However, records indicate that no such permits were ever obtained.
Despite the discrepancies between the original plans and the final installation, the house was approved for occupancy after passing multiple inspections. The Town of Fort Myers Beach confirmed they had no documents related to the pool's permitting, and the certificate of occupancy for the home was revoked on Wednesday.
When asked if an investigation was underway, town officials referred inquiries to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
The Fort Myers Beach Fire Department is also offering free carbon monoxide detectors to residents with a 33931 zip code.
