‘Not the result of human error’: Taber arena explosion caused by propane leak

We now know what caused the explosion at the arena in Taber last month, and officials say the incident was not caused by human error.

The Town of Taber says a propane leak from the Zamboni at the local arena is to blame for an explosion at the facility last month.

The town released the results of its investigation on Wednesday, saying the explosion was caused by a failure of a component within the fuel system of the Zamboni, which created a gas cloud within the ice surfacer room and across the small ice surface.

When the gas cloud came in contact with an electric heater, the fumes ignited.

“It’s definitely not something that is seen often, and it’s definitely not something we’ve heard of from the manufacturer,” said Taber fire chief Steve Munshaw.

Munshaw confirmed the explosion was “not the result of human error or procedural.”

“An incident like this is an important reminder that even when established procedures are followed and maintenance programs are in place, equipment can still fail,” he said.

“That is why strong inspection, maintenance and emergency preparedness programs are essential.”

While there were about a dozen people inside at the time, no one was injured.

“Damage is one thing, and that’s easy to deal with and can be replaced, while people are not,” said Mayor Andrew Prokop.

“So, we’re very fortunate, very thankful, very blessed that’s the end result.”

As the investigation has ended, town officials say testing is now underway to determine if there are any hazardous materials in the facility.

“I know it looks fantastic from the outside, but it’s not so simple on the inside,” said Derrin Thibault, Town of Taber CAO.

He said while the majority of the damage is within the arena, the hazardous material can travel through the building’s ventilation and HVAC system or by the force of the explosion itself.

“Vermiculite is commonly used to infill that cinder block brick, and that comes with about a one per cent asbestos ratio inside that stuff, and that is enough for legislation to make it so that you have a particular way that you have to clean that mess up, so it was really mostly in that brick wall that separates the large rink from the small ice and the curling rink,” said Thibault.

Once lab results are known, the town will then be able to determine next steps and how best to remove the hazardous debris.

A potential phased reopening plan would then be created.

Until then, Thibault asked the community to continue to be patient through the process and thanked neighbouring towns for their support in assistance with ice times and resources.

In the days following the explosion, more than a dozen surrounding communities reached out to the Taber Minor Hockey Association offering help.

“None of this is about delay for delay’s sake; it is about doing things correctly, safely and in a way that protects staff, users and the public,” said Thibault.

Total costs related to the incident and recovery are still being determined, and the town is working with its insurance provider.

“Council will be eager to review this information once it becomes available, and it will be very important to have these details in full context to have an informed conversation about the future of this building,” said Prokop.

In the meantime, the town has submitted a nomination for this year’s Kraft Hockeyville challenge and is asking for residents’ support.