Fumes Fill Ice Rink; 72 Sent To Hospitals -- Carbon Monoxide From Zamboni Ice-Grooming Machine Suspected

SHORELINE - Seventy-two people were sent to nine area hospitals last night with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, apparently after being sickened by fumes from an ice-smoothing machine at the Highland Ice Arena, authorities said.

Firefighters from Shoreline, Seattle and Edmonds were called to the skating rink at 18005 Aurora Avenue N. about 7:40 p.m. after skaters in one of the arena's two rinks complained of dizziness and other symptoms, said Shoreline Deputy Fire Chief Ron Mehlert.

Firefighters using a carbon monoxide detector immediately evacuated the downstairs ice rinks and an upstairs bingo hall, he said. About 300 to 400 people were evacuated.

Seventy-two people, mostly skaters, were whisked off to area hospitals to be treated for symptoms that included dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and headaches. Most were treated and released last night.

Mehlert said the fumes were caused by an ice-smoothing machine, known as a Zamboni. The operator of the machine apparently did not wait long enough between cleaning the two ice rinks, cleaning them back-to-back, he said.

Several members of a community hockey team complained of headaches and dizziness after the operator smoothed the rink they were playing on and then began working on the adjacent public rink. After the complaints, one person called for help.

Outside the building, scores of people were being treated by medics, then loaded into aid cars and private ambulances.

Some skaters had hardly arrived when they were told to evacuate the building.

One group of teenagers said they were just putting on their ice skates when firefighters burst into the skating rink and told them to evacuate the arena.

"As I started to put on my skates, I heard people yelling, `Fire Department. Get out now. Evacuate the building. Get out now,' " said Aaron Christiansen, 14, of West Seattle.

"I just had one skate on," said John Millard, 12, also of West Seattle. "They were telling us to get out. I had to hop out the door."

Those sickened by the fumes were being treated in an orderly manner by dozens of medics. After being examined, patients - some still wearing their skates - waited in line to be loaded into ambulances.

Hospitals that treated patients included Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, in Kirkland; Stevens Hospital, in Edmonds; Overlake Medical Center, in Bellevue; and Harborview Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, Virginia Mason Hospital, University of Washington Medical Center, Providence Medical Center and Northwest Hospital, all in Seattle.