An ice hockey complex in Allegheny County was urgently evacuated yesterday when high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) were detected, forcing a halt to a tournament packed with young athletes and parents. The Alpha Ice Complex, located in Harmar Township, was cleared out after "multiple children reported feeling sick," according to an account by Lt. Otto Gaal of the Harmar Township Police, as detailed in a report by WPXI.
Responding to the incident, firefighters arrived to unexpectedly find that the indoor air was indeed saturated with the potentially dangerous gas. While quickly evacuating the building, they managed to offer treatment to all who had reported ill effects from the CO2 exposure, with none requiring further medical attention beyond the scene, according to CBS News. A malfunctioning Zamboni, coupled with an air recirculator issue, is suspected to have contributed to the release of the elevated CO2 levels.
With the safety of the players, staff, and spectators as the priority, the authorities made the decision not to immediately reopen the complex. Firefighters took steps to ventilate the arena, and measures were set in place to continuously monitor air quality before and during the tournament's rescheduled activities, which were set to resume the following day, as proclaimed by Gaal.
