About 30 people - including two broomball teams and a handful of fans - were inside the building when the explosion happened at about 9:40 p.m. A small blast was followed by a larger explosion, which knocked the doors of the boards that surround the ice surface onto the rink, the Duluth News Tribune reported in its Monday editions.
Player Ryan Ringsred, who was bandaged, picked small pieces of Plexiglas from the back of his neck. He was on the ice when the explosion occurred.
``I was facing the boards when they blew up,'' Ringsred said. ``I was on the ice and the Zamboni blew up behind me. I was flat on the ice.''
Even his helmet was dented.
``It's brand new,'' he said. ``It did its job, I guess.''
The building was evacuated and the players watched the fire from a small warming house about 30 yards away. By 10:15 p.m., the fire had engulfed the north side of the building and police cleared out the warming house when it looked like the fire might reach nearby power lines.
Joe Buckley, the driver of the Zamboni, which resurfaces the ice, said he was sweeping up when the blast occurred.
