Oh no! The Zambonis are one of my fave bands!
Posted on 01/01/2006 6:13:12 AM PST by Pharmboy
January 1, 2006 -- A Zamboni ice-grooming machine exploded at a Long Island skating rink yesterday afternoon, sending some 80 people — including many children — slipping and sliding to safety, authorities said. The frightening incident began after an employee at the Port Washington Skating Center — formerly owned by retired Islanders hockey star Brian Trottier — noticed a leak as he changed the propane fuel tanks on the device at about 3 p.m., police and fire officials said.
He went to fetch a manager — and when they returned the tank was on fire.
They quickly warned skaters, who managed to flee from the rink just seconds before the first tank exploded, blowing out the windows.
"It was very lucky," Port Washington Fire Chief Glen Pedersen said. "It was because it was a holiday and not many people were here. On a regular weekend the place is packed and it would have been very hard to evacuate."
Soon, a second, larger second blast violently shook the walls and tore a hole in the roof.
"On arrival the first chief saw people running everywhere and smoke coming out of the building," said Pedersen.
Amazingly, no one was hurt.
The owner of the Port Washington Skating Center for the last 11 years, Fred Neilsen, 57, said he didn't know how the tank caught fire but that the damages would put the rink on ice only for a few weeks.
"The damage wasn't as bad as we originally thought," he said. "We'll get a new Zamboni, that's for sure."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I can't believe we don't have a Exploding Zamboni ping list yet.
Very lucky indeed.
Pinging the Exploding Zamboni Ping List
WOO HOO!
There goes one of my New Year's Resolutions.
I was about to ask Jim if I could change my screen name to "Zamboni Driver."
Thank you for the clarification. Because of your knowledge in this area you will now be added to the "Exploding Zamboni Ping List" as conceived of by fellow freeper Tijeras Slim. But please understand that this ping list may never be used again.
Zamboni accident = Zamboner.
Leave it to MF to come up with the right cartoon in a nanosecond.
nice screen capture of xshub and xsboy at the rink there, marteen!
;-)
Zamboni's don't explode either. They aren't sufficiently combustible. The gases exploding inside the Zamboni might spray debris, but Zamboni's clearly don't explode.
Please put me on your exploding propane ping list. 8-p
Lack of decent "Hot Wheels"TM during those crucial formative years.
'morning, neighbor...
Color me evil...but I am laughing.
It's all fun until someone gets an eye poked out.
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.