Mayerthorpe hockey arena burns down

The arena in Mayerthorpe, Alta., was destroyed by fire Tuesday.

Municipal workers heard an explosion at the arena just before 10 a.m., Mayor Doug McDermid said.

By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, he said, huge flames and thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

McDermid said it was difficult to watch as the building burned to the ground in the small community about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

"Fire is such a destructive creature, needless to say, there will be no building left other than the shell, and so the objective will be to meet shortly and do that long-range planning for an arena replacement," he said.

Firefighters had to push in the arena’s north wall in order to get into the building and then pumped in massive amounts of water to put the fire out, McDermid said.

The Mayerthorpe arena had been the home of an annual hockey game to honour the four RCMP officers who were killed four years ago in the community. Last month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially opened a memorial park to honour the fallen officers.

McDermid said it is a big loss for the community because the arena, which was about 40 years old, was well used by hockey players, figure skaters and recreational skaters.