Hamilton, NJ – Twenty people, including several children, were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning this morning after the fumes filled Ice Land ice rink, officials said.
Four people were taken to local hospitals after the incident, and several others sought treatment at hospitals on their own, officials said. All but one, who arrived late in the day, had been treated and released, officials said.
Fire crews from across Hamilton responded to Ice Land after reports of fumes and people, including kids aged 10-12, feeling ill shortly before noon.
Some of the kids were skating off of the ice feeling ill, Hamilton Township Fire Department captain Jason Ryan said.
An investigation of the scene found very high levels of carbon monoxide, the highest of which was around 500, Ryan said.
You could feel really ill in a short amount of time with those levels, he said. We generally don’t have carbon monoxide emergencies of this magnitude. The cause of the fumes is still under investigation. The rink was closed for the day, Ryan said.
Michael Ashworth, director of public relations at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, said their emergency and pediatric departments received 11 patients on Saturday.
Most were concerned families walking in with headaches and symptoms related to carbon monoxide poisoning, Ashworth said.