Wednesday, August 24, 2005

'Splosion Knocks Man Across Room

Compelling headline and journalism from the Leavenworth (KS) Times:

Explosion knocks man across room
An acetylene leak in a welding torch led to an explosion in a shop on 207th Street Tuesday night, a fire department spokesman said.The explosion reportedly knocked out windows and blew one person across a room.
Two men refused treatment at the scene, but at least one of them may have ended up going to the hospital, according to Rick Huhn, chief of Fire District No. 1 of Leavenworth County.The incident was reported around 8 p.m. on 207th Street, south of Kansas 92 Highway, Huhn said.
Two men apparently were practicing welding in a shop and there was an acetylene leak."The gas exploded in the room," Huhn said.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Ralph Lauren Victim of San Fran 'Splosion

From the Sacremento Union:
San Francisco Explosion Probed
The Associated Press
Published: August 22, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO—A fiery explosion from an underground utility chamber in the downtown shopping district Friday critically burned a pedestrian, sent a manhole cover flying and shattered windows at a Polo Ralph Lauren clothing store, authorities said.
The cause was still under investigation, but authorities have ruled out terrorism and have pinpointed the explosion’s source to an underground electric transformer maintained by Pacific Gas & Electric.
“There were no traces of a bomb or anything like that,” said San Francisco Fire Department Capt. Peter Howes. “It was some sort of accident.”
The explosion occurred shortly before 10 a.m. in the middle of a busy shopping district.
Sprinklers doused a flaming awning outside the store as panicked workers were evacuated from skyscrapers, stores and buildings around the Crocker Galleria area, Howes said.
“All of a sudden there was a big, big, big boom and the lights flickered off,” said Ellen, who joined other workers in a smoky stairwell as she made her way to the street from the 28th floor above the Ralph Lauren store. She wouldn’t give her last name, but said she worked for Charles Schwab.
“I thought it was a bomb,” she said. “It was very scary.”
The blast came from a vault that houses four Pacific Gas & Electric Co. transformers fed by a 34,000-volt electrical cable, said company spokesman Paul Moreno.
“We know a transformer failed,” Moreno said. “But what caused the transformer to explode is still under investigation.”
No utility workers were present when the explosion buckled a sidewalk and shot a manhole cover 25 feet across the street, according to Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White.
Two police officers on patrol nearby heard the explosion and fire and police response to the incident was swift, evacuated office workers said. Hundreds of police, firefighters, city officials, including Mayor Gavin Newsom, and federal authorities responded to the explosion.
“It seemed like it was an earthquake,” said Nancy Yaosovac, who works on the 19th floor of a building directly across the street from the blast.
The rest is here:
http://sacunion.com/pages/california/articles/5978

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Virtual Bomb Shelter

Virtual Bomb Shelter is based on instructions from Soviet Union Cold-War-era pamphlets, with information on preparing for nuclear attacks, as well as histories and descriptions of various nuclear weapons.

Great artwork:
http://www.ycrop.com/bombshelter/

Robert A. Heinlein's Bomb Shelter

Guy visit's th e famed science fiction writer's shelter. With pics.
http://www.robertcrais.com/worldheinlein.htm

"Kiddie Land" 'Splosion Injures Two

Canadian Press
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
CREDIT: Global News
Scene where two men were injured from a transformer explosion at the CNE.
TORONTO -- Two workers are in hospital with severe injuries following a transformer explosion on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition.
The men suffered serious burns after the incident in an area of the grounds known as Kiddie Land.
It's not known which caused the explosion, which occurred around 3 p.m.
The names of the workers weren't released.
The incident comes just two days before the opening of Canada's largest annual fair.
© Canadian Press 2005

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

'Splosion Waiting to Happen

Hundreds of Bombs in Bangladesh Go Boom

From BBC:
Bombs explode across Bangladesh
At least two people have been killed and 50 others injured in a series of small bomb blasts across Bangladesh.
Officials say more than 300 explosions took place simultaneously in 50 cities and towns across the country including the capital Dhaka.
An outlawed Islamic group, Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, says it carried out the attacks.
Police say that more than 50 people have been arrested in connection with the blasts.
Reports say many of the injured have been admitted to local hospitals, although most of the injuries are not life-threatening.

See the article here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4158478.stm

Monday, August 15, 2005

NYPD Bomb Squad Links

'Splosion in Indonesia 'Stroys House

Strong explosion rocks Ciputat residence
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A strong explosion destroyed a house owned by an employee of the Ministry of Defense, Nasiman, 47, in Cireundeu, Ciputat district, Tangerang, on Sunday morning.
City police, however, quickly ruled out the possibility that the explosion was caused by a bomb, saying they had found nothing to suggest a bomb at the scene.
Two of Nasiman's three children were at home when the blast occurred at around 9:30 a.m. None of them were injured in the incident, the second in Tangerang in the past three months.
Last June, a powerful explosion went off at the home of Abu Jibril in Pamulang, also in Tangerang, Banten.
Sunday's explosion could be heard two kilometers away from Nasiman's house on Jl. Gunung Indah V.
"I was in Poncol subdistrict (some two kilometers away). I heard a strong explosion. I just knew that it came from my relative's house," said Maman, Nasiman's brother, as quoted by Tempointeaktif.
Suhardi, whose house is next to Nasiman's, said that he was thrown a few meters away from where he was standing when the explosion occurred.
"The explosion was very strong," said Suhardi, another brother of Nasiman's.
Jakarta Police Spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono emphasized that the explosion had not been caused by a bomb or any type of explosives.
According to Tjiptono, police forensics experts had examined the location.
"We did not find any detonator or fuse at the scene. Therefore, I can assure you that it was not a bomb," Tjiptono said, adding that the bomb squad had also failed to find any traces of explosives in the house.
But, Tjiptono was unable to specify exactly what had caused the blast, saying that the police still needed more time to investigate.
A police cordon was placed around the house.
Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar came to the scene at around 3:30 p.m. to get first-hand information on the blast.
"The police still don't have a clear picture of the incident, but it can be definitely said that there were no traces of explosives there," Ismet was quoted by Antara as saying.
South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Ghufron said on Sunday afternoon that they were still trying to figure out the cause of the explosion.
"We will continue investigating the cause of the explosion tomorrow. It could have been caused by a gas leak as an examination at the scene turned up no traces of explosives," he said.

Building 'Splosion Leaves 30 Poor Saps Homeless

This is in Connecticut, by the way, not the ritzy town on eastern Long Island..

East Fire Damages East Hampton Building 6:05 AM EDT, August 15, 2005 News Channel 8
EAST HAMPTON -- A fire at a Main Street building has left dozens without a home.The two-alarm fire was reported around 3:00 this morning at 82 Main Street when people reported hearing a small explosion and breaking glass.
The building has businesses on the first floor and apartments above.About 30 people have been relocated to the East Hampton Senior Center while firefighters investigate the cause.There were no injuries reported

Friday, August 12, 2005

'Splosion Rocks Kandahar Market

One person has died after an explosion in a market in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.
The explosion in Char Soo market also injured six people including a child, according to a top Afghan security official.
The market, also known as women's market, is popular with women shoppers.
The BBC's Mirwais Afghan, who went to the scene, says a pressure cooker filled with explosives is believed to have caused the blast.
A woman and a child were among those wounded.
"It was a terrorist attack intended to create a climate of fear," Abdul Malik Wahed, Kandahar's police chief told the BBC.
He said they would launch an investigation to find out "who was involved".

Gas 'Splosion Damages Apartments

By Felix Doligosa Jr., Rocky Mountain NewsAugust 12, 2005
A gas explosion this morning damaged a 12-unit apartment complex in Thornton.
The explosion happened about 7:20 a.m. in a boiler room at the Towne Centre Apartment Homes, 647 W. 91st Ave. No one was injured.
"It felt like something heavy fell down," said Victor Munez, who had arrived home shortly before the explosion and was trying to fall asleep. "I just grabbed my phone and left."
Munez and other residents who were evacuated reported smelling gas after the explosion.
The American Red Cross Mile High Chapter responded to assist residents who will be displaced.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Dead Guy's Ashes 'Sploded in Fireworks

09:37 - 10 August 2005
This is the moment when cancer victim Peter Sibley got his dying wish to go out with a bang - when his ashes were exploded in fireworks over his favourite holiday spot. Helicopter engineer Mr Sibley, from Wiltshire, who died aged 56, wanted his remains to be blasted over the picturesque harbour at Fowey in Cornwall.He had drawn up meticulous instructions for his wife Tanya to load his ashes into tubes and attach them to ten large eightinch rockets.And in a tearful ceremony attended by his family and 30 friends, Peter said his final goodbye in spectacular style."He planned it all," said Tanya. "We got married here, so I thought I would send them up on our wedding anniversary."When Peter got ill he used to joke about how he wanted to go out with a bang."Then he decided he wanted us to send him up in a rocket. That was him all over, he had a really black sense of humour."

Read the rest here:
http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=146049&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145779&contentPK=12983248

Truck Carrying 'Sposives 'Splodes in Utah; Giant Crater in Road Ensues




SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - A truck loaded with 38,000 pounds of explosives tipped over on a steep canyon road, caught fire and exploded on Wednesday, injuring nine people and blasting an enormous crater in the road.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol the truck had just left an explosives manufacturing plant at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon along Highway 6 when it was involved in a traffic accident and rolled over.
The truck burned for about fifteen minutes and then detonated with enough force to create a road crater 30 feet deep and 75 feet wide, police said. The explosives were to be used in mining and construction.
Medical helicopters and ambulances took nine people to nearby hospitals for treatment of burns and injuries from flying debris.
The explosion caused several brush fires in the canyon and damaged railroad tracks that run parallel to the highway. There were also reports of trucks and cars having their windows blown out from the force of the blast.
Highway 6 is heavily traveled as a connecting road between Interstate 15 and Interstate 70. The Utah Highway Patrol estimated that the road would be closed for two to three days while repairs were made.

'Splosion at Prison Holding al-Qaida Suspect

From the Edinborough (Scotland) Evening News:
AN explosion at a prison where an al-Qaida suspect is held was under investigation today.
The top security Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire was locked down for two days following the firework-like explosion within a wing.
British shoebomber Saajid Badat, 25, who was jailed for 13 years, is believed to be in isolation with three other prisoners after being forensically tested for traces of explosives.
Badat, of Gloucester, admitted plotting to explode a shoebomb on a transatlantic flight in December 2001 at the same time as fellow shoebomber Richard Reid, but he said he could not face being a "courier of death" and rejected terrorism.
A spokeswoman for the Prison Service said: "We can confirm there was a very small firework-like explosion within a wing of Whitemoor Prison around 7.45pm on August 4.
"There was no damage, no risk of injuries and the routine of the prison was not disrupted.
"The prison was locked down on time.
"The device is being analysed but there is nothing to indicate at this stage that explosives have been smuggled into the prison."
It is thought the bomb was made from ingredients available within the prison such as sugar and weedkiller.
Sentencing Badat in April, Mr Justice Fulford said he could have been facing a term of more than 50 years if he had gone ahead with the plan to blow up a passenger jet.

Fumigation Attempt Leaves Apartment All 'Sploded

Aug 11, 2005 -- A family of three was displaced from their apartment at The Manor in Leesburg on Wednesday after an explosion that occurred as the tenant attempted to fumigate the home for bugs.
Loudoun Fire-Rescue Services spokeswoman Mary Maguire said at about 1:40 p.m., a 911 call was made after residents heard an explosion inside one of the apartments at the complex located on Fort Evans Road.
Investigators say the tenant failed to turn off the gas service in the apartment before activating the aerosol pesticide. A pilot light to the stove ignited the spray, causing the explosion.
“I went outside to go to the front office and I heard an explosion and I looked up and the sliding glass door was lying half off the balcony,” said first-floor resident Barbara Huff. “It blew the doors right off.”
The explosion caused about $10,000 in damages. No one was injured. Maguire said the family is staying with family until repairs can be made to the apartment.