'Death trap:' Workers inside Holyoke Soldiers' Home recount horrors witnessed Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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NEWSCENTER 5 AT 6:00. MARIA: THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AT THAT HOAK YOLK'S -- HOLYOKE'S STAGGERING. MORE THAN 70 VETERANS HAVE HAVE DIED SINCE MARCH, NEARLY ALL FROM COVID-19. NOW FRUSTRATED EMPLOYEES ARE SPEAKING TO 5 INVESTIGATES ABOUT WHAT THEY CALL THE HORROR INSIDE. REPORTER: WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL EMPLOYEES DURING THEM BELIEVE THE STATE PUT THESE VETERANS IN HARM'S WAY. ONE LONG-TIME WORKER CALLS THE SOLDIERS' HOME A DEATH TRAP. >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VETERANS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO SAVE US. OK. AND IS THAT HOW WE'RE GOING TO TREAT THEM? REPORTER: HE'S FRUSTRATED AND HEARTBROKEN BY THE HORROR HE'S WITNESSED INSIDE THE HOLYOKE'S SOLDIERS' HOME SINCE COVID-19 THE FLAG IS LOWERED AS SOMBER CEREMONIES HONORING THE LIVES LOST TAKE PLACE ALMOST EVERY DAY. IT'S A PLACE HE'S LOVED TO WORK FOR 20 YEARS. NOW WALKING THROUGH THE DOORS IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE. >> I WORK ON THE COVID-19 FLOOR. AS SOON AS I WALK INTO THE UNIT, I BROKE DOWN. REPORTER: 5 INVESTIGATES LEARNING MORE OF THE DETAILS OF HOW THE DEADLY VIRUS SPREAD. THE FIRST POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE WAS A VETERAN ON THE FIRST FLOOR. EMPLOYEES TELL US HE WAS STILL ALLOWED TO USE THE COMMON AREAS EVEN AFTER HE WAS SYMPTOMATIC. STAFF WERE ROTATING THROUGHOUT WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, SEVERAL EMPLOYEES TELL US ON MARCH 27, THE DAY MANY VETERANS DIED, THEY MOVED EVERYONE, INCLUDING HEALTHY VETERANS, FROM THE SECOND FLOOR TO THE FIRST. ROOMS THAT HAD FOUR BEDS NOW HAD SIX. NINE MEN WERE PUT IN THE DINING ROOM THAT WAS ILL EQUIPPED TO HANDLE SICK PATIENTS AND DIDN'T OFFER PRIVACY. >> IT BREAKS MY HEART. IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART. REPORTER: THIS WAS THE SECOND MOVE FOR COLLEEN'S DAD, AIR FORCE VETERAN, DONALD, WHO PASSED AWAY THAT DAY. >> I JUST HOPE AT THIS POINT IN HIS LAST OF HIS LIFE HE DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. HERE IS A MAN WHO HAS SERVED IN TWO WARS AND TO HAVE HIS LIFE END THIS WAY -- >> I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES WHEREBY WE PACKED SO MANY % VETERANS, SIX IN A ROOM, AND WE PUT NINE IN THE DINING ROOM. REPORTER: EMPLOYEES TELLING US THAT MERGE CREATED A SITUATION WHERE ONE VETERAN WAS TAKING HIS LAST BREATHS WITHOUT ANY PRIVACY. WAS EATING A MEAL. A YOUNG STAFFER WAS DENIED A BREAK TO GRIEVE AFTER HELPING TO REMOVE SEVERAL BODIES. THEY ALSO TOLD US THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF MORPHINE FOR COMFORT CARE. EMAILS SHOW THE FACILITY WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE PANDEMIC. THEY WERE SCRAMBLING TO HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT SUPPLIES OF MASKS AND GOWNS. SOME C.N.A.'S WERE REPRIMANDED EARLY ON FOR CAUSING ALARM BY WEARING P.P.E. WITHOUT PERMISSION. >> THERE ARE NO WORDS. NO WORDS. REPORTER: SO MANY FAMILIES AND EMPLOYEES BELIEVE THE STATE FAILED THESE VETERANS. THERE ARE FOUR ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHAT HAPPENED. THE SUPERINTENDENT REMAINS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LE

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