A catastrophic explosion that rocked a community recreation centre in the southern Alberta community of Taber on Wednesday was so powerful it shifted some of the facility’s walls, according to town officials.
Luckily they say the building was safely evacuated and there have been no reports of injuries.
“It was just a transition between programming events and between those times when this happened,” said Fire Chief Steve Munshaw.
“It is such a miracle that within 10 minutes of that time that nobody else was in there.”
While the the explosion appears to have originated in the Zamboni room of the facility, the town says no exact cause has been identified and the investigation is still underway.
Damage to the building, which is home to two ice rinks, curling rink, an archery range, several meeting rooms and a privately-operated health club, is extensive.
“Interior walls were displaced, large doors were blown out of their jams and frames, glass was shattered and concrete block walls were cracked and damage to the arena roof also occurred,” said Mushaw.
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Gas lines in the area were also damaged, but the ammonia system at the facility was not and the ammonia in it is now being removed for safety reasons.
“We’ve got weightlifting, we’ve got archery, obviously the auditorium, curling rink, small ice and large ice — so at this point in time, every single one of those are affected until we know what it is we can do with the building,” said Derrin Thibault, chief administrative officer with the town of Taber.
Several investigations into the explosion are ongoing, including a third party fire investigation, as well as investigations by the town’s insurance company and Occupational Health and Safety.
The town said Friday that structural engineers have completed their preliminary assessment and there are no safety concerns with the roof or other primary structural elements of the building.
“Based on the witness statements and the video and everything we’ve reviewed at this time, there is no indication there is any criminal element to this,” said Lethbridge Police Insp. Dave Gyepesi.
The town says the building has been determined safe enough for engineers, inspectors, and specialists to enter.
The next steps will include removing the debris and the asbestos that has been discovered inside the building.
While there is no timeline on when the repairs could be completed, the facility reopened or when activities and other programming may resume, the town says there has been an outpouring of support from both the community and across southern Alberta.
“Such kindness,” said the town in a statement, “is deeply appreciated, and will not be forgotten.”
— with files from The Canadian Press.
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