The district has confirmed fire at Kitimat Ice Rink began inside the facility’s referee’s room, close to the main entrance.
The investigation is ongoing to determine its cause.
The fire resulted in extensive fire damage to the referee’s room, and there is smoke damage throughout the rest of the building.
In a statement, the district said its engineering department assessing the extent of damage to the entire building.
The Kitimat Fire Department was alerted to the incident at around 6:30 a.m. on March 17 and responded with two fire trucks and an ambulance. The fire was promptly extinguished, and there were no reported injuries.
The cost estimates for repairs are unknown at this time.
As a result of the blaze, all weekend activities scheduled at the Kitimat Ice Rink were cancelled.
Due to safety concerns, further programs were cancelled for the remainder of the season, including the Open Shinny, Public Skate, Family Stick and Puck and the Everyone Welcome Shinny.
The public has been advised to avoid the walkways outside the Kitimat Ice Rink and the Aquatic Centre entrance due to access restrictions imposed following the fire. Residents are also asked to observe any posted signs and barricades for their safety.
The fire did not affect nearby buildings, but the smell of smoke has spread to the Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre, prompting its closure on Sunday over concerns of air quality. As of March 19 it was determined the aquatic centre was safe to reopen to the public.