Compressor Leak Repaired At Concord’s Everett Arena: Update

CONCORD, NH — A small vapor leak in one of the compressors at the Everett Arena was the cause for an alarm activation and ammonia leak at the city facility, according to officials.

Concord fire and recuse teams and city officials were sent to the facility for an alarm activation and report of an ammonia leak Sunday around 3:30 p.m. When firefighters and EMTs arrived, they found just about everyone inside the ice rink had been evacuated. The building supervisor told firefighters the alarm reported one thousand parts per million being released due to the leak. They also told firefighters there were no medical issues connected to anyone in the building.

Later, according to scanner chatter, firefighters found out one other person still inside the building, and they went in to get them.

News 603 posted a video on Facebook.

Firefighters began using meters to find out where the leak was located.

Around 3:45 p.m., firefighters confirmed the leak and said it was limited to the pump room. The exact quantity of the leak was unknown, and a city official told a fire commander they were attempting to shut off the leak remotely.

According to a firefighter, the reading in the pump room was 104.2 parts per million, according to the in-house meter. The room was also sealed, and the commander requested a second engine.

Around 4 p.m., firefighters sealed off the building, and 15 minutes later, they also decided to evacuate the facility’s parking lot.

Around 4:30 p.m., a fire commander reported a contractor was coming to the facility and they also requested police to come to the facility.

Some firefighters were released from the scene just after 5 p.m.

On Monday, Stefanie Breton, the public information officer for the city of Concord, said a small vapor leak was found within one of the compressors. A refrigeration company arrived at the rink, isolated the incident, and restarted the system, she said. The company was also at the arena Monday.

"The building has returned to normal operations to include today's stick practice and public skating," she said.

According to online history information, the Everett Arena was built in the mid-1960s and has been owned by the city since the early 1980s.

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