Central Alberta residents searching for answers after reports of loud 'boom,' 'shockwave'

(Supplied/RCMP)

EDMONTON -

Residents of Ponoka and surrounding communities are wondering what made a loud "boom" sound on Friday.

RCMP and Ponoka County Fire Rescue Services confirmed to CTV News Edmonton that they received multiple reports around 5 p.m. saying people heard the noise and felt a "shockwave."

Sgt. Ron Bumbry, RCMP media relations officer, said EMS, firefighters, RCMP, and Alberta Sherriffs responded to the reports to try and locate a cause. Officials also reached out to CP Rail to check if there were any derailments and with authorities at the nearby Joffre, Alta., NOVA Chemicals plant to see if any incidents occurred.

"Multiple agencies tried to find a cause or source of these reports," Bumbry said. "We did our due diligence to try and locate a source for these reports but just couldn't."

No injuries were reported to authorities, Bumbry said. Gas companies told RCMP that no underground monitors indicated that anything suspicious occurred.

According to Rob Johnson, east district deputy fire chief, firefighters checked multiple sites within the town and natural gas compressor sites but could not locate any source for the loud noise. Emergency crews could find no flames or smoke, Johnson said.

As of publication, no earthquakes have been reported in the area.

Ponoka is a town in central Alberta, approximately 95 kilometres south of Edmonton, at the junction of highways 2A and 53.