A propane leak in an ice surfacing machine set off a chain-reaction explosion inside the Taber community centre’s ice rink last month, according to the results of an investigation announced Wednesday in the small southern Alberta town.
Taber Fire chief Steve Munshaw told a news conference that contrary to some rumours that have been circulating, the Dec. 17 explosion, which caused extensive damage to the building, was not the result of human error.
“The cause was failure of a component within the fuel system of the ice resurfacer. That failure resulted in a propane leak which created a gas cloud within the room and across the small ice surfaces,” Munshaw explained.
“An electrical heater in the small ice surface room identified the source of ignition and when the gas cloud reached the ignition source it caused an explosion.”
Photos taken inside the building following the blast show several collapsed concrete walls and debris strewn over a large area of the building that is home to two ice rinks, a curling rink, archery range, several meeting rooms and a privately-operated health club.
There were a dozen people in the building at the time of the explosion, but luckily, thanks to the quick actions of staff and emergency responders, there were no injuries.
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“We can’t thank our lucky stars enough,” said Mayor Andrew Prokop.
“Damage is one thing. That can be replaceable — people are not. So we’re very fortunate, very thankful.”
While the investigation into the cause of the explosion is complete, much of the facility remains unusable, which has had a significant impact on town residents.
“The community center is more than just a building. It is a gathering for sports, recreation, local programs, and businesses, and plays an important role in the daily use of our community,” said Prokop.
Until insurance and safety assessments are also complete, the town says damaged parts of the building cannot be cleaned up and a timeline for reopening isn’t available.
“Independent testing is currently underway to determine if there is any spread of hazardous materials like asbestos in the building and how debris must be handled,” said chief administrative officer Darren Tebow.
“Even areas that may not appear to be visibly affected must be addressed because the community center operates with interconnected systems — ventilation, gas, water, electrical and fire alarm systems are tied together, meaning impacts in one area can affect others.”
The town says the building was constructed around 1970 and at the time, asbestos was a commonly used component in concrete cinder block construction.
Tebow says the town hopes to be able to provide a tentative timeline for reopening by the end of January.
In the interim, other departments have stepped up to provide space for the displaced employees and surrounding communities have offered ice time for community hockey teams and other activities.
“That generosity has meant a great deal not only to the municipality, but to the community as a whole,” said Prokop.
He says, prior to the explosion, the town had already begun discussing possible renovations to the facility and had applied for a number of government grants.
While the town is still waiting to hear back about those applications, it has also entered the popular Kraft Hockeyville contest, which offers a $250,000 grant for improvements to the winning town’s arena.
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