CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — After about a month with a clean bill of health, carbon monoxide issues resurfaced at Holiday Twin Rinks on Saturday, forcing the building to close for the day.
A video obtained by 2 On Your Side showed a youth hockey game in progress Saturday at the Broadway facility when the carbon monoxide detector sounded. The teams skated off the ice shortly after that, and spectators left their seats and toward the doors.
"Due to our recently updated Olympia Ice Resurfacer again having emissions issues, and in the interest of safety, we have decided to remain closed for Sat. Feb 10 at Holiday Rinks. We are waiting on Olympia to provide a replacement machine," Holiday Twin Rinks posted to its Facebook page around 1:15 p.m.
"Also, we have placed an order for 2 Electric ice resurfacers last month and are waiting to hear back on delivery times."
2 On Your Side made numerous attempts to reach the ice rink over the phone and in person but was unsuccessful.
The facility has had carbon monoxide issues dating back to late last year, when on Dec. 23, a video captured staff members on the ice saying, "The carbon dioxide [sic] detectors are going off," and another staff member saying, "Yeah, we know, we can't fix it."
Then on Dec. 27, more than 100 people were hospitalized after carbon monoxide levels reached levels between 200 and 400 ppm in the facility, well above what is considered normal levels.
Holiday Twin Rinks owner Mark Grundtisch said the company would pay any medical expenses incurred by those who went to the hospital as a result of the carbon monoxide exposure.
The rinks reopened on Jan. 5, after Cheektowaga code enforcement inspectors wrapped up more inspections. A new heat exchanger, filtration systems, and new detection systems were among the substantial repairs made.
On Friday, New York State assemblymember Monica Wallace proposed two bills in response to the December incident with the hopes of preventing this issue in the future.
The first would create a sales tax exemption in the month of October for fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. The second would mandate ice rink owners to test and track air quality levels as well as display a certificate of acceptable air quality publicly.
Wallace said the second bill follows guidance from the U.S. Ice Rink Association and Environmental Protection Agency, which six states have already implemented by turning them into laws.
“You might be surprised to learn — I know I was — that carbon monoxide poisoning in ice rinks is actually quite common,” Wallace said. “We want to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.”
Holiday Twin Rink will be closed through at least Sunday.