PIGEON FORGE — The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration released new details in a carbon dioxide incident that killed one person and hospitalized others at the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater.
TOSHA and the Tennessee Department of Labor's Boiler Unit investigated the incident after one of the theater's technicians, Josh Ellis, was hospitalized and eventually died from CO2 poisoning on March 7, 2018.
The theater had to be evacuated the night of Saturday, March 3 after a valve in the theater's basement that released CO2, which was used to charge the stage-operating machine and create fog and effects for shows, was left open.
According to TOSHA's findings, the employer told Ellis to vent CO2 into the basement to charge the fog effect system, which normally takes 20 seconds.
TOSHA's report said the employer told him the effect wasn't strong enough the night before and to make sure it was fully charged and ready when needed for the performance to create a dense cloud.
Ellis had other duties in the theater that had him moving up and downstairs during a short period. TOSHA said it's believed he started charging the CO2 system for about 14 minutes before the cue in the unventilated basement, filling it with CO2 and creating an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.
The report said when it came time for the fog effect on stage, the cue was missed. The stage manager had called Ellis on the radio, who didn't respond.
It was at that point the manager went into the basement and found Ellis convulsing in the back next to the stage lift.
In the ensuing chaos, the report said several employees went to help -- only to be overcome by the oxygen deficient atmosphere.
Two other employees collapsed in the basement trying rescue Ellis and shut off the CO2 purge valve.
One of the two was able to get out, while the other was rescued by theater employees. The two employees were taken to the hospital with Ellis. The two were later released before Ellis died.
Following the investigation, TOSHA discovered the basement was below grade and did not have alarms or monitoring equipment to warn employees of high CO2 levels.
TOSHA also said employees were not properly trained in the hazards of CO2 and proper emergency procedures.
In response, the State of Tennessee proposed 12 separate citations, nine of which were serious, to the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater. In total, the proposed penalties totaled $22,300.