Carbon monoxide scare shuts down Gunnison ice rink

60 end up going to the hospital…but everyone is okay

It was a combination of a faulty ventilation system and the Zamboni that sickened more than 60 people Sunday at Gunnison’s indoor ice rink. As a result, it will probably be at least President’s Day weekend before the rink is reopened. According to Gunnison Fire Marshal Dennis Spritzer, “we are waiting for a complete installation of a carbon monoxide detection system and we’ve been told it will be about 10 days.”

On Sunday, February 6, the emergency response drills performed regularly by area law enforcement and emergency services personnel appear to have paid off. A carbon monoxide scare at the rink put everyone to the test Sunday afternoon as scores of EMS personnel, law enforcement officers, doctors and nurses all answered the call. Approximately 100 people were examined on-site and 61 people, adults and kids, were screened or treated for carbon monoxide poisoning at the Gunnison Valley Hospital.
“It appears there was a malfunction in the air circulation system,” explained Gunnison city manager Ken Coleman. “There were high carbon monoxide levels in the rink. It appeared that enough outside air wasn’t being introduced to keep things healthy in there. We are fortunate it was no worse than it was. First and foremost we are concerned with the people affected in the situation.”
Those people were primarily players or spectators at the Sunday hockey games. Two girls from the Colorado Junior Eagles team were flown by fixed-wing aircraft to Denver and had to undergo treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to clean out their systems.
“The two girls are doing great,” said Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center director of public information and media Angie Anania.
“They were treated Sunday and had another treatment Monday afternoon but didn’t need to be admitted to the hospital.”
According to Spritzer, there was indeed a breakdown in the ventilation system that caused the problem. “We narrowed it down to a damper that wasn’t functioning,” he said Monday afternoon. “It would normally pull outside air in and it wasn’t opening, so the air in the building was simply recirculating.
“The ice resurfacing machine was the source of the carbon monoxide,” Spritzer continued. “It uses a gas engine and it just built up after every use. We can’t even say when the problem started. This is the first time we’ve seen this problem since the facility was built three years ago.”
Hockey players in the morning games complained of headaches and lightheadedness. The Crested Butte midget high school team played an 11 a.m. game and, while the rink smelled of exhaust, no one seemed to think there was any cause for alarm. Some members of the Wolfpack even vomited during the game and said they came close to blacking out, but no one made the connection with carbon monoxide.
Hockey referee Phil Lambert said he had been on the ice since about 7 a.m. and by the afternoon games, he was feeling ill. “I was dizzy and kept trying to signal that I needed another referee to come in for me,” he said while waiting to receive fresh oxygen outside the rink. “It was pretty bad.”
When the girls playing the early afternoon game began complaining about similar symptoms, it was then obvious something was amiss.
Shortly after the Wolfpack players returned to the rink to get ready for a 2 p.m. game, they were evacuated from their locker room. Members of the girl’s team were already sitting or lying outside the main entrance to the rink.
A dozen EMS personnel arrived and immediately tested people. Some were found to have significant levels of carbon monoxide in their system. More ambulances and fire trucks were called. Triage areas were established and scores of people were given oxygen masks and hooked up to fresh oxygen canisters. Those that tested for high CO levels or showed symptoms of poisoning were taken to the hospital.
“We called in additional doctors and nurses immediately,” said Gunnison Valley Hospital CEO Randy Phelps. “There were probably 60 people who were screened at the hospital Sunday afternoon. About 15 required extended treatment. Two were flown to Denver and one was admitted here on Sunday and stayed overnight. Another person came to the hospital for screening Monday morning because they were experiencing symptoms.
“We don’t enjoy having these events happen, but it is gratifying to see it run smoothly when it does,” Phelps continued. “We were pleased that things came together smoothly.”
Coleman said the response “seemed appropriate. The EMS people in this county are amazing.”
Spritzer said 15 firefighters responded to the scene along with emergency medical technicians from both Gunnison and Crested Butte.
There were so many people taking oxygen to help clear out their systems that the hospital ran out of oxygen canisters. More oxygen had to be brought in from Montrose.
Spritzer explained that a couple of emergency triage areas were established outside the rink. The county’s MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) trailer was used to keep people warm while they inhaled fresh oxygen. A tent brought in from the airport was used for the same purpose.
Coleman said that carbon monoxide monitors were not required to be installed when the rink was built. “But we are already taking corrective measures to assure a safe environment,” said Coleman. “Based on this incident we have already put in carbon monoxide warnings and alarms. We are also looking at changing the air exchange system by separating the warming house and rink systems. We will look to have two systems instead of just one. We are looking at measures that give us more control and protect us from having this happen again.”
Spritzer said CO detectors have been installed and it is expected that they will be wired into the fire alarm system.
Coleman indicated the rink would be closed until the problem is definitely solved and the structure is tested to be sure everything is working and safe.
Coleman and Spritzer said if anyone had been playing in the rink over the last weekend and is experiencing flu-like symptoms such as nausea, lightheadedness or headaches, it is recommended that person consults a physician.
“The priority is to make it right for everyone,” Coleman said. “We’ll look at the air exchange and the heating systems and everything else. We don’t want to go through this again.”