Zamboni explodes; fire destroys arena

MPLS Star & Sickle ^ | 12-20-04 | Larry Oakes

[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

[Old Professer]

If the tank ruptured the propane would merely turn into a blow torch; if the tank exploded as you say it would have to occur after sufficient heating to rupture the tank which would still be a minor explosive force but would send the vaporizing, burning fuel to a great distance but would not have a strong blast wall.

What would account for a strong blast wall would be a leak in the enclosed storage area from the propane tank or fittings allowing a build up of heavier than air gasses and then ignition which would blow the doors off and knock nearby objects to the floor.

The only question in my mind is what source provided the ignition?

[inkling]

Another band with a great hockey name: "5 For Fighting"

I wondered where they got their name. Good to know!

[Docbarleypop]

well, at a small arena up der in Dalut thats all they might got der, just doze oldie zamboni's ya know, its better than sven and lana out der with a hair dryer and butter knifes!

[Angry Republican]

The Blue Hens! Sweet!

[ArrogantBustard]

The usual mechanism for a liquified gas tank to explode is the BLEVE, in which external fire heats the tank, raising internal pressure until the tank fails catastrophically.

That usually takes time ... The sequence of events here is less than clear to me.

[Holicheese]

I was workin at the lumbre yard don'tcha know, when I heard this kaboom.
Jeez, I tell ya.

[Old Professer]

And the actual blast wave is from the superheated air in the tank which, even when full, is 20% or more of the total volume.

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[Docbarleypop]

ya know what i was thinkin? i heard last week that sven wanted to soup up dat zamboni, he says to me, "it just goes too darn slow ya know, i wanna make three passes or so after each of dem periods, so i got me one of doze jet engines der from bowin and ima just goin to hook her right up der." poor lena, now she aint gonna like it one bit not havin her engine to toss on her skidoo sled.

[presidio9]

WE

ARE

ALL

GOING

TO


DIE!!!!

[70times7]

I'm zure it waz only an overzite.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Zambonis are related to SUVs and can blow up when they feel like it.

Normally they run people over first... Major property damage as well as massive loss of life are favorite hobbies for SUVs/Zambonis.

[Holicheese]

You gotta be most careful and not park them side by each!

[CedarDave]

Propane/LNG explosions are nothing to laugh at.

Something to think about if cars powered by hydrogen gas are common on the highway.

[SAMWolf]

I suspect the driver. ;-)

[ArrogantBustard]

I seem to recall reading that the BLEVE is most likely to occur when the tank is between 1/2 and 3/4 full; the "Expanding Vapor" comes from the "Boiling Liquid". Of course, if the contents are flammable, you'll also get a fireball if there's any source of ignition.

[SoothingDave]

Another band with a great hockey name:
"5 For Fighting"

I've always thought "Coincidental Minors" would be a good band name.

SD

[beezdotcom]

Zam boni set up us the bomb!

You have no chance to survive make your time.


Man, they're not kidding.

[Darksheare]

FRIENDLY ROBOTICS FRIENDLY VAC RV400
AKA DARTH VADER

Personality type: Sturdy enough to survive an ambush, the Friendly Vac clears a path as delicately as a tank.

Brains: Equipped with ultrasonic sensors designed to follow wall contours, the Friendly Vac evidently prefers to find—and if possible, obliterate—obstacles with its heavy-duty plastic fenders. Scarcely taxing its 16-bit microprocessor, the ’bot plows parallel lines across the room with the single-mindedness of a golem. The smartest feature is a timer that starts the machine up to 12 hours after you program it on a four-button digital touchpad. Set it and get the heck out.

Brawn: With apparent ambitions to be a Zamboni, the RV400 is too massive to crawl under furniture. Though heavy and awkward to lift, it will motor from room to room if you tug on its retractable pull-cord. In action, it consumes all that it meets—coffee grounds, pasta shells—with bone-crunching suction.
Originally posted by Popular Science here.