CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Holiday Twin Rinks building supervisor Jim Bender says that the CO detector issues shown in the video obtained by 2 On Your Side, and the incident that sent 100+ people to the hospital aren't related.
In the video recorded on December 23, staff members on the ice can be heard saying "The carbon dioxide [sic] detectors are going off" and another staff member saying "Yeah, we know, we can't fix it."
Bender says he was made aware of the CO detector issues over the ice sometime between December 20 and December 21. Bender says he followed the manufacturer's guidelines and cleaned the detectors with compressed air.
Bender noted that the issue is separate from the incident on December 27.
On December 27th, 100+ people were hospitalized after carbon monoxide levels reached levels between 200-400ppm in the Holiday Twin Rinks facility 10 p.m. is considered normal for carbon monoxide levels.
Bender says the issues on December 27 were related to a heater and ice resurfacing machine malfunctioning.
In a statement, Bender said:
"I’d like you to know that we, and I are extremely concerned and sorry about everything that happened. But, in hindsight, I wish we could go back in time and change things, but, unfortunately, we can’t and have to do better and our best going forward. We are currently working diligently with multiple contractors to make things right and repairing everything in question and then some."
Holiday Twin Rinks owner Mark Grundtisch has stated that the company will pay any medical expenses incurred by those who went to the hospital as a result of the carbon monoxide exposure.
Sources tell 2 On Your Side that the Cheektowaga Police are reviewing the video where CO detector issues are being discussed, but there is no word as to whether it would trigger a broader investigation.
2 On Your Side also reached out to the Erie County Health Department to inquire if they would be investigating the matter, but a spokesperson simply said it was under the purview of Cheektowaga, not the county.
Holiday Twin Rinks posted on social media that they plan to reopen on January 5.