Saturday night, a carbon monoxide leak at the Victor J. Riley Arena in central Cody sent dozens of young hockey players to the hospital, raising immediate safety concerns for residents who regularly use the facility for sports and community events.
According to Cowboy State Daily, emergency dispatchers first reported “multiple juveniles affected” at 9:37 p.m., followed by a second call for “several juveniles affected by a possible carbon monoxide leak” a minute later. By 9:53 p.m. a third ambulance was requested, and shortly after a fourth call asked for mutual aid to provide ambulance coverage for Cody Hospital.
Park County Fire Protection District No. 2 Chief H.R. Coe said firefighters arrived to find spectators already gone and the two hockey teams outside. The arena’s building manager led crews to the utility room, where a gas detector confirmed carbon monoxide presence. Coe noted that pinpointing the exact source in a building of that size is “fairly impossible,” so crews opened the arena’s large garage doors to ventilate the space and shut off the natural‑gas supply.
Roughly 40 players from the hometown Yellowstone Quake and visiting Butte Irish were on the ice, though not all experienced symptoms. Six players reported headaches and shortness of breath, prompting the team’s assistant coach to move everyone outside and call emergency services. The players were then transported by bus to Cody Hospital for precautionary evaluations.
The North American 3 Hockey League game ended in a 4‑2 victory for the Montana team. Butte Irish owner Bill LaVelle, speaking to Cowboy State Daily, praised the rapid response of medical personnel and arena staff, while noting he still had no explanation for how the gas entered the building. “At this moment, most of them are doing well. Some players are still showing symptoms. They’re getting treatment,” LaVelle said.
Carbon monoxide, an odorless and invisible gas, can accumulate when fuel‑burning equipment malfunctions or exhaust is not properly vented. Coe explained that the same hazards that affect household furnaces can exist in larger commercial systems, especially during cold weather when venting may be compromised.
Riley Arena, owned by the nonprofit Park County Arena Board and opened in January 2001, has long served Cody’s winter sports community. Chief Coe emphasized that the arena is built to code and remains a safe facility, but urged residents to ensure carbon monoxide detectors are installed and functional.
What’s next: Management confirmed the arena will remain closed indefinitely while a qualified HVAC contractor and Black Hills Energy conduct a thorough inspection and identify the leak’s source. No reopening date has been set, and officials will update the public once the building is cleared for safe operation.
Sources: cowboystatedaily.com
