Pittsburgh Area Ice Rink Colapses

While the snow continues to fall around the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, the problem builds into bigger issues of safety and public well-being. This morning, a Western Pennsylvania suburb averted a more tragic situation by escaping a roof collapse at the landmark Rostraver ice rink.

Emergency responders were called to the scene Sunday at about 3:30 p.m. Witnesses said that the roof above the rink started to cave in between hockey games, as children suited up and a Zamboni swept the ice.

The ceiling crumpled about 10 minutes later, she said. The delay allowed everyone to get out safely.

The ice rink is over 40 years old and is host to many sporting events as well as attract a lot of national touring groups.

The collapse wrecked nearly one-third of the building, though, felling a portion of the roof about 100 feet long and opening half of the rink to the sky.

No word as to weather or not the rink would be rebuilt for future use, but for now, the rink will sit there.

Let this be a lesson to all the old historic "barns" in Canada in hope that they will be maintained and sustain the weathers that may come in the future.

[Via: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]