LUZERNE COUNTY -- The family living at a Gates Avenue home in Kingston hoped the holidays might bring needed cheer.
The family said on Thanksgiving morning, Vincent Marcario, 46, was upstairs complaining of chest pains and struggled to breathe.
"When I realized it was an oxygen problem, and that his heart was in trouble, I called 911 immediately," said Mary Hays, Vincent's sister.
According to Hays, she told the dispatcher at the Luzerne County 911 center that her home was near Kirby Park.
Instead of sending an ambulance to Gates Avenue in Kingston, sources said a dispatcher sent a crew to Gates Street in Wilkes-Barre, to the other side of the Susquehanna river, where there was no emergency Thanksgiving morning.
After the apparent mistake, the dispatcher eventually got an ambulance crew to Kingston, but the mistake cost precious time.
"It was at least 20 minutes. I mean it seemed like forever, especially doing CPR," said Hays.
By that time, Mary Hays said her brother lost consciousness and he never regained it.
"To find out they could have been here and they would have been here, that's upsetting. My brother was a young man."
Vincent Marcario was 46 years old.
Newswatch 16 tried to get a comment from the Luzerne County 911 center in Hanover Township.
"Can I help you? Dave Bohman, Newswatch 16, I'm here to see Mr. Rosencrans. There are no comments thank you."
Fred Rosencrans, the Luzerne County 911 director, later confirmed the dispatcher's apparent mistake is being investigated.
This isn't the first investigation of its kind.
Earlier this year, a Luzerne County 911 operator was fired after sending a crew to Conyngham Borough near West Hazleton, while a home burned in Conyngham Township in Mocanaqua, killing the woman inside.
In both cases, the mistake cost emergency crews precious minutes.
"I know mistakes happen, but my brother was only 46," said Hays.
