A carbon monoxide leak at a Legal Sea Food restaurant in New York left the manager dead and 19 others sick on Saturday, the New York Daily News reported.
A.J. Carter, a spokesman for the Town of Huntington, said the fire department traced the leak to a problem with the heating system.
"He came and discovered a problem with he heating system and a leaking flue pipe," Carter said. "The issue was in the basement, where the manager ... was overcome."
The restaurant's manager, Steve Nelson, a 55-year-old father of two, was found in a basement bathroom. He was rushed to Huntington Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Additionally, assistant manager Megan Smith was overcome by the fumes when she went to search for Nelson and is currently hospitalized.
"It was madness," a restaurant worker said. "She (Smith) went downstairs to inspect and disappeared. That's when we knew something was wrong. People kept disappearing down there."
Smith is expected to be released by Sunday.
"We appreciate everyone's prayers, well wishes and concerns," Smith said in a statement released by the hospital.
According to Dr. Michael Grasso of Huntington Hospital, he and his staff treated 10 people for carbon monoxide poisoning but that Smith was the only one kept overnight.
Eight other victims were treated at the scene.
The restaurant is currently closed and will open back up once officials deem it safe for operation.
Nelson was remembered by colleagues as "a really good guy" who always encouraged his employees to work well together.
"He'd ask everyone to high-five their partners right before our shifts," said John Restel, who bartends at the restaurant.
