Explosion in Taber arena was caused by a propane leak, officials say

Officials say a Dec. 17 explosion at the Taber community centre was caused by a propane leak from an ice resurfacer; no injuries were reported and the investigation is complete.

An investigation announced by town officials found that a propane leak from an ice resurfacer set off a chain-reaction explosion at Taber’s community centre on Dec. 17. Fire Chief Steve Munshaw said the failure was in a component of the machine’s fuel system and was not the result of human error. About a dozen people were in the building at the time and there were no injuries, officials reported. Much of the facility remains unusable while insurance, safety assessments and independent testing are completed. Key facts: - The investigation concluded a component failure in the ice resurfacer led to a propane leak and a gas cloud inside the rink areas. - An electrical heater was reported as the ignition source that triggered the explosion. - About a dozen people were present; emergency responders and staff reported no injuries. - Large sections of the community centre were damaged and cannot be cleaned up until safety and insurance assessments are finished. - Independent testing for possible asbestos and other hazards is underway, and town officials hope to provide a tentative reopening timeline by the end of January. Summary: The official finding attributes the Dec. 17 blast to a mechanical failure that caused a propane leak and subsequent ignition. The damage has left much of the community centre out of service and safety testing and insurance reviews are in progress. The town says it hopes to offer a tentative timeline for reopening by the end of January, and nearby communities and municipal departments have provided temporary space and ice time.