This article was published in the daily newspaper The Edmonton Journal, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on February 6, 1967.
A huge fireball flashed across northern skies early Sunday night and then exploded into a shower of sparks.
Dr. L. A. Bayrock of the Alberta Research Council identified the object as a meteorite and is hopeful fragments might be found.
He said there were reports of a "thunder-like" sound near Smoky Lake, 100 miles northeast of Edmonton.
The association of sound effects is a strong indication some pieces of the meteorite survived contact with the earth's atmosphere.
Startled witnesses said the object passed over Edmonton, travelling in a northeasterly direction, at about 6:58 p.m.
One woman is reported to have mistaken the meteorite for an airplane and telephoned the fire department to report a crash at the Industrial Airport.
David Rogers, director of the Queen Elizabeth Planetarium, witnessed the meteorite but said it was hard to judge its actual size.
"A meteorite the size of a tennis ball could create the same effects."
FLOOD OF CALLS
Reaction to the fireball jammed telephones at both The Journal and planetarium. About 100 calls were answered in an hour.
Jennie Bennet, 10336 77th St., was watching television and thought the object had landed in her back yard.
Mickey La Tosky of Drayton Valley saw an object with an orange tail and bluish-green body pass over the town heading towards Edmonton.
An official at the Industrial Airport control tower said a pilot, flying at about 1,800 feet in the Cold Lake area, said he was "nearly blinded by the intense flash."
J. M. Graham, 6016 105th St., said the meteorite lit up the snow "like welder's arc" and then there was a shower of sparks when it exploded.
Dr. Bayrock said today that he and Dr. Thomas Berg, another member of the Alberta Research Council, will probably interview persons who reported sighting the object today or Tuesday.
He said it is believed it fell somewhere northeast of Smoky Lake.
A Spruce Grove woman believes she spotted a space-like vehicle near her home Sunday night.
Mrs. Harry McLeod said the object was oval-shaped, appeared to have windows, and was quite low on the horizon.
Red "legs" or antennae protruded downward at each end of the object.
SEES OBJECT
She reported seeing the object at 7:45 p.m., about an hour after numerous residents in the Edmonton area reported seeing a fireball, which has been identified as a meteorite [a meteor].
Mrs. McLeod said she was just stepping out of her car at the curling rink, about two blocks from her home, when she saw something red out the corner of her eye.
