Posted on 12/20/2004 8:26:41 AM PST by Rakkasan1
DULUTH -- A Duluth hockey arena was destroyed and at least two people suffered minor injuries Sunday night after a Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine exploded during a broomball game, starting a major fire and sending players and spectators fleeing.
"It looked like the Zamboni doors flew off onto the ice," a player told KDLH-TV in Duluth, referring to the doors of the enclosure in which the Zamboni sat while waiting to go on to the ice. The explosion happened about 9:40 p.m. at Peterson Arena, 3501 Grand Av. in west Duluth.
The witness said the explosion started ceiling insulation on fire, and the building was quickly engulfed.
"There were people on the ice that got hit by the doors," the player told the television station. "We all just ran out of there. I think everybody got out."
Battling the fireAssociated PressA nursing supervisor at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth said this morning that one person was treated at the hospital and released.
Player Ryan Ringsred, who was bandaged, picked small pieces
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Another oddity in the story--it says there were 'spectators'. I mean it's a broomball game, are you all really that starved for Wild hockey that you would watch one of these things?
;-)
Love it.
THX.
Al Qaeda meets Canada.
I live in Phoenix, but my parents are from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. My dad went to Lake Superior State and they usually are among the best in collegiate hockey. Duluth reminded me a lot of the Soo – similar old industrial feel and wonderful people.
Welllllll,
after the first 20 minutes, Zamphir can sure become torture.
Ever consider what a Zamboni runs on (besides ice, that is)?
Yep, I watched a forklift detonate once after an accident left it in the middle of a burning pile of pallets. They got us all WAY back, but the blast was still pretty impressive when that baby went up...and we were OUTSIDE. I can't imagine how powerful that blast must have been in a confined indoor space.
Propane/LNG explosions are nothing to laugh at.
That would be the zevendies...
From the article: "It looked like the Zamboni doors flew off onto the ice," a player told KDLH-TV in Duluth, referring to the doors of the enclosure in which the Zamboni sat while waiting to go on to the ice.
I have to say that "Exploding Zambonis" would be a sweet band name.
The Zamboni had finished clearing the ice and was parked off the ice behind the swinging doors to the ice rink. When the explosion occurred, it blew the swinging doors off their hinges and they flew across the ice hitting a few of the (ahem) "athletes".
ShaZAM!
Ah ok, missed that part. Thanks.
Great question, and kinda surprising policy from a rink located in the State of Hockey. A couple of years ago during intermission at a game of our local NCAA D1 team, they have this celebrity/mascot broom-ball melee with probably 30 different mascots against the people from that night's game sponsor - literally over 40 people on the ice with 4-5 different balls on the ice as well. It starts to run late, and the Zamboni's come on the ice and start resurfacing while the idiots are still playing broom-ball. It's pretty much chaos. One of the sponsors slips on the ice, cracks his melon and is unconscious, and Nobody sees him until the crowd starts hollering for help.
It was pretty eerie watching a red pool of blood grow under this guy's head. Don't know how it turned out other than he didn't die of the injury, but after that, the local arena came out with a policy of no one on the ice while the Zamboni is out there.
Zamn you for reminding me!:)
Zorry.
Zowie!.... ZING.
As if hockey didn't already have enough problems.
"5 For Fighting"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.