BC Place Roof Collapse

From ClickToNews

BC Place Stadium

[edit] Abstract

In Vancouver, British Columbia, BC Place Stadium's inflatible roof tears open during wind and snow storm, forcing the staff to deflate the stadium and collapse the roof for the first time since it was raised.

[edit] Details

In a time of year when Vancouverites are usually enjoying their mild winters, a fully of violent wind and rain storms have made this a usually hard winter in the west coast of Canada. During the latest wind storm yesterday, part of the inflatible roof at BC Place stadium in downtown Vancouver was torn open by the winds and snow.

The tear started near a lower part of the roof, not far from where the roof meets the walls of the stadium. The tear, caught on numerous cell phone and amature cameras, started small. The pressure from inside blew the edge of the tear up and out, exposing more of the tear to the violent winds above.

BC Place staff, aware of the situation, decided to execute a controlled deflation of the roof, to try to stop the tear from growing any worse. The roof was deflated quickly, without incident or injury. Once deflated, the roof was safely out of the wind. According to staff the biggest concern with deflating the room was that the deflated roof with a tear now acted as a funnel for all the rain and snow water falling from above.

A replacement section for the roof was ordered within hours from a company in Mexico, and should arrive in Vancouver early next week. BC Place staff believe that they will have the roof repaired and be open and ready for the boat show due to start late next week.