Recalling when CN Tower ice damaged the Rogers Centre roof
This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.
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On Monday, April 16, 2018, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals were scheduled to play their series opener at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The CN Tower had something else in store for its neighbouring building.
That morning, at 10:30 a.m., police warned there was ice falling from the tower. The tower and surrounding areas were closed by 11:30 a.m.
A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1
A closer look at the barriers by the Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter", Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter" + Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter" in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter" Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter" Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter"
— Shallima Maharaj (@ShallimaMaharaj) Shallima Maharaj on Twitter: "A closer look at the barriers by the @TourCNTower, @RipleysAquaCA + @RogersCentre in downtown Toronto. Police and security on hand reminding people to keep a safe distance away. @globalnewsto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/DKxEikyhO1 / Twitter"
The Jays Twitter account shared this winning tweet: “Weather update: Due to our stadium having a roof, today’s game will be...played as expected.”
The watermelon-sized ice chunks continued to fall from the 553-metre tower and violently crash to the ground. And the Rogers Centre roof.
A tarp in RF and a hole. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/hvIZIdCnKj
A tarp in RF and a hole. Scott Mitchell on Twitter: "A tarp in RF and a hole. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/hvIZIdCnKj / Twitter" Scott Mitchell on Twitter: "A tarp in RF and a hole. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/hvIZIdCnKj / Twitter"
— Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) Scott Mitchell on Twitter: "A tarp in RF and a hole. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/hvIZIdCnKj / Twitter"
By 3 p.m., officials confirmed that ice had fallen from the CN Tower through the Rogers Centre's roof, causing damage.
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The powers that be attempted to repair the stadium's damage, but at 5:34 p.m. the Jays' Twitter account announced that the game was cancelled.
Tonight's game has been cancelled due to inclement weather causing damage to our roof. We apologize to our fans for this inconvenience. Further info for those with purchased tickets to the game will be shared shortly. Tomorrow's game will be a 3:07 p.m. traditional doubleheader
Tonight’s game has been cancelled due to inclement weather causing damage to our roof. We apologize to our fans for this inconvenience. Further info for those with purchased tickets to the game will be shared shortly. Tomorrow’s game will be a 3:07 p.m. traditional doubleheader
The game was rescheduled for the next day as part of a doubleheader.
All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the @RogersCentre and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we've been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) #onstorm pic.twitter.com/yp1YYfV43O
All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the Josh McConnell on Twitter: "All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the @RogersCentre and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we've been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) #onstorm pic.twitter.com/yp1YYfV43O / Twitter" and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we’ve been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) Josh McConnell on Twitter: "All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the @RogersCentre and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we've been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) #onstorm pic.twitter.com/yp1YYfV43O / Twitter" Josh McConnell on Twitter: "All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the @RogersCentre and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we've been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) #onstorm pic.twitter.com/yp1YYfV43O / Twitter"
— Josh McConnell (@joshmcconnell) Josh McConnell on Twitter: "All afternoon the wind has been blowing heavy snow and ice off the roof of the @RogersCentre and it comes crashing down loudly. No warning signs and we've been nervous every time someone walks underneath. (Listen with sound on.) #onstorm pic.twitter.com/yp1YYfV43O / Twitter"
The Jays won the first game 11-3 and the second one 5-4. And no one was hurt by the falling ice.
To learn more about the time ice fell from the CN Tower and through the Rogers Centre roof, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."
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Thumbnail: Courtesy of George Socka/Wikipedia/CC BY 2.0
