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FireworksndOtherThings
ThatGoBoomntheNight
Compiledy DonaldamesHaarmann
"teotthe callrisht afterchurch"'Igdtrhe calJighiafrerlgotbackromchurchEdhadgonen earlyon a sundaymorningowork on-developinghydrogenensorndgotblown tosmtthereens.e was workingwith abootlegmixtureof sixpe-rcent ydrogenandtwenry-percentxyge-n.lthrghlydetonable.ndan explosionwas alrlvpredictable.ltblew himto bits,"recallshe saferymanagerora divisionofan aerospaceompany.He wasworking ondevelopingnimprovedwav o detectcriticalDroblemsn anucleareac'tor,He askedme a.fewweeksbeforehowtohandle hesassafely.Heshouldvebeenbehrndsandbaeba-rricades,peratingthevalvesre'morelv]lsenthima ener,ndpoinreduLhatthe muturehewantedto usiwasillegal totransportacrosstateines Hewas aknowingDarticiDant. I thoueht hewasamDlvorewarned.ewasagraduate;nginee!.ekniw thehazardsAccord-ing to hisn6tes,he was.metenngydrogenndoxvgennto a verysmallestchamberndget'dns-variationse ouldn'taccountor,Heneededto iarrowthe causef thefluctuations,nd hesaidhe neededogeta calibntedgassource.oheboorleesedt in.The exiiosioncostabout $125,000n dam-ages.ltmide ashamblesofthehop.couplefcarsweredesrroved.ndit caused omedamageacrosshe street,ltwasprettysPectacular'ehadtwo srown childrenand avoungster.ewasnhis lite3o'sor early40's. twal interesting,ewasson o[anaqinqlower hild-thiswasbackin theearly 7oi--andathis funeralhey scat-reredosepetalsver hewaterby SanraabanThereweri not enoushof hisasheseft.His amllvended-pettingbout $l2 mil'lion settlement.heyued thegassupplier.tneve!evenEoto coun.lSafetg-Hgqieneeus.October1988.1FredTraqerf Barbenon,hro,sayseput inabout 0 viarsasa volunteereacher [ashow-and-tellcburse,Hazardouschemicals."twaspanofapublicrelationsrogramtanedbyhisLmolover.PpGndustriei,ifierWorldwar II.Trager, ow.enred,tught thecourseosafetyp.roups, aidandvolunteer iremenchemistryieaciers. andstudentsall overohio,Pennsyl'vania, ndNew York.n due course,esays, eoickedup"hundredsoffantasticstodesaboutihemicafaccidentsoldto meby firemenandchemistryeachels."A firemanwho leda BoyScoutrooptook theladson aweekendcampingrip.The camp-groundhadan outdoorpJivy.-Afterirct using t,ihe ScoutmasteroticedaDlasticontainera-beled"LlmeorDeodorizingirepouredomeofthe whrte oowderhrouehrhehole andwalkedawav.He hadnLgonemore hen30yardswhenhewas anestedbruptlyby aloudrepon and,turning,sawhat the outhouseadexplodedndthe reiainswerebuningmedlyIt turnedout.Trager ays,hat somebodyadmistakenlvilledheime containerwithalciumhypochlorlte,very srrongoxidizinggentandoniof the chemicalshatgivefrremenits"A]lthatwas neededwas an organicsubstnteand
DOW!
'lchemicqlndEngineeingeus.SePtember9,1988..]Theresa longhrstoryfaccidenLalxp)osionscausedy the unsuspectedresenceofxplosives,Manvo[theseaccidentsaveivenise o senouslnluries.Familiarxamplesie thepresentefexplosivedetonacorsn domesticcoal supplies,nd in war souvenirsbe]ievedco havebeenemow.Perhapslemost srrikingofall suchoc'.uri.ic"tturitharof 25July9r5at waverley'NovaScotia,where a disusedxplosiveactorywas_ eing madesafeby{'l$ .tl"ncharges fexDlosrventhesrtes foldburldrngsnddnin'ag;dirchesherent roBlYceri.nmighthave eenoresent. ourshotshadbeen lredontheshorefa lakeandno evidencef nitroglycerineasob-served.t was decided.owever,o fireanothershotnear he lalewhereherewasevidencehatnitroglycerineighthavelowed roma buildingwhichhasastbean n usepriorto 1910.A deto-nation ccured.av'.'.?ter45meterslonq'5meten widd,ind8' 'p,ltwasestimatedthat about ,000ilo,tglycerinemusthavebeenpresenrFrictionalsnition ai,*-umstan-cesoutstdehl field ofmanur".(esses.Sprlledxplosive.canesubiecreri..d'rr'
ird rha.^,,r.o ^r rnn<.n-n
canalsoo(cur in tolalr,iexD-.ces,aswhen a manplayingtennison; r.PGIBullerino.64.Ma(h1989
Page 0
 
suddeniyoundhis egenveJopedn flames.n-vestigationhowedharhecourrhadbeene-cendytreatedwithsodiumchlorateorweedkJlLng urposesndthar hisrubbersoledennisshoeadprovidedotodythefueltoproduceanexplosjveixrurewiththechlorateuralsohetri tionrequiredoignitet., ,Theresthecasefa_nxp)osivescrentisthoraDrrcated.anshrayromcastNTandkepttonhisofficedeskfortheuseo[ vjsirors,onlyreveahngrsnarurefrerheyadxrrngushedclgaretten itwithnountowardesults,Anunusualexplosionofthistypeocculred(1931)n.ahospiuloperaringheiirewheremanwasbeinggivenananestheticfetherandoxygenanda.pencilighrwasbeingsedo seensideisthroat.Therewas_a-nxplosionnthe man.sInour,n.andediedtrom.hisiniuries.Theljghrwasdelecrivendasparkromitrnirjaredheexplosivether./oxygenixture,TheLochFlynequarrywasdeepnewithrhevorKlngacejsjbleromthesea.wasdecrdedocarryout-ablastwirha verylargechargeonsrsting_fabour6,000kilograms-fgui,owoer.Many peopleweregivenhechanceovjrnesshe specracleromaboatwhjchthenlandedhem.ear-he quarrymourh.Afterrhesmokead.cleared-anyenreredhe uarryovrew.tneectsottheexpjoston.numberfpeopien Lherowdsrarredocollapsendallrerreared,.bearrnghe-collapsedeoplewtrhrnem.na[ seven eoplewereoundrobedeadas heresuttt asphyxiariony carbonioxrdewhrchadJlowedurromhe'brokenockndhadormedayernhequarryloor,omewhatInhemannerl theGrotroesCheins.heaseisnot unique,In1953.boywasilhngasmallmeralubewitha.polassiumhloraceulphurixturewhenitex?loded,esulrjngn lacerarionso hislefrnand.rrangemenLseremadeorrhepoliceocauLionimwhilea parentwaspresent'.nfor-runaLely,e paidittleatrentiono thewarninsand,omemonrhsarer,ssisLednorherov irampapiecef mecal ipewrthamixtur6ofpotassiumhlorace,ulphurndphosphorus.preceolmetatwasbeingusedtofilltherubewhenthemixrurcexploded.heboy wassoseriouslyniuredharhe djedomeimeater..ln1922nNewyork,adeviceorthedisposalotunwanredcatswas_eckedby anexploiion.l necarsereroppednroan ronankconrain-rngethaloalas/airmixture.n onepanicu-laroay.tourthbarchl carsncludedpanicu-iarlyiercelackmalewhoclungothe baskernwnrchhe hadbeenbrought,hisbuihupstaticelecrricalhargen hisbodysorhat, vhenhe wasevenruallyrslodgedndfellrhroughheopen-rngrorhetank,a sparkgniredheexplosivemixrureemainlngnjLTherewasnextlosionand peopleromrheofficeushedn rofindtheth reexecurionersnthefloor.Twoweresentothe.ospjrai,newirhapossiblyracturedkuU,andallweremoreor lessbumedandacerated.,Alesshanusualnsranceccuned119351inbujldingona fireworksacrory.A fire-sranidn-neeveninatrerthe factorywasclosed.was:sraDllshedhatspontaneousqnjrionhadoc-:urrednthe roofofthebuildtng.hebuildine.vxveryoidand.inherooftherewasa collecrioi'lbirdsnesrsmpregnaredjrhexplosivesusLln ln?,orypreviouslyherehadbeenahea,"yarnollowedygreareat.uchondrrronsreavoGDleorcausingpontaneouseatingandrence,whereexplosivespresent,xplosion.In1956,boyat age14wasmakinga bombwithporassrumhlorarendulphur.rexplodedanocauseduchevereniuriesohishandhatthishado be amputared.hepoliceemovedIhechemicalsehadbeenusing.heboysfa,cher,.owever,equestedheirieturnso astoenabieisson oconciruelsxperimen$hennecameutot hospital,.In19.10,nemployeearanxplosivesacroryintheUnrredrare_sasrghringiigarhenaiexplosronccurred.heexplosionsrrippedhisindexrngerandhumbofflesh,hlswasppar_entlydue orhepresencef ntrroglycerinendertnenailstthe ingerndhumb.IH, J.YelJop,xplosionnuesriqation.heFote-nsicScienceocie$,g8O.l.A vrolent-explosionookplacenanexhausrductroma laboraroryoodn whichperchloricacrdoiurionwasbeingumedoveragisplaLe.tblew.outwindows.bulgedrheexririoiwalls,nIreOheroot,_andxtensivelyamagedqurp.mentand.supplies.omeimepriororheipli-sion.hehoodhadbeenusedorrheanalysrisfmrs<ellaneousaterjals.heexplosronppar.enrlynginaredndeposirsfperchloriccijandorganicarerjalnthehoodndduct.An.employeeroppeda7poundborr)eofperchlori(cjdsolutjononaconcreLeloor.TheIiquidwasakenpwirhsawdustndplacednaContinuedinextpaqe
BulletlnNo.6{.Ma(h1989
PaBeI
 
co'.ered, etalwasrean. ourhourslater.hghrexplosion iewopen hehinged overofrhean.Hypergolic ixtwesA fewwordsshould ensened ere oncem-ing edphosphorusndpotassiumhlorate.heycompose hat sknownas hypergolic ixturc,which meanshat the two substancesayex-plodeuponbeingmixed ogether. hismaynot happent once,but rhey may explodefterawhileallby themselves.he lightesr ovement maynitiate"violentrcaction," s he chemjcalcompanjesstateontheconlainels,Violentreac-tion isanundersurement,sxemplifiedyrhefollowing ncjdenrs.Abottleon this mixturcwaseft on a detec-tive's eskn NewYorkCitvbvanother etectivewbo did not knorpwhat t'wis, While he roomwasunoccupied,he mixtureexplodedpon-taneously reaking indows,ight fixtures. ndthedesk op.A boy n DadeCounty ad he majority ftheflictionskin on his hands,insers, ndsromachscarred hileplacingpproximitely neounce fthematerialnto a Dlastic aDsule.The rvrite!received econd nd third depreeburnson 25percenrl his bodyand hadaneardrum lownoutwhiledisposingfonepoundof the samemarerialwhicbwaseft from theDreviousncident. ince he chemicals ereun-ionfined on newsoaperhichhe held, he ef-
fectswere not more critrcrl.A stone ableofa fume hood waspatchedwithaglycerincement and severalearsater,whenthe hood was being removed, he tableexplodedwhena workman struck the stonewith a chisel,
Duringoutinemaintenancenvolvingaftialdrsmantlingfthe exhaust ioweron aperch-lo(acidventilaring ystem, detonationol-loweda lieht blow with a hammeron a chiselheidagainit he fanatornearhe sealetweenthe rear overDiatend he ancasins, henten-sitv of theex;losionwassuch hatlt washeardfour mrles wayand o[ the threeemployeesnthe vicinity,one sustainedaceacentionandslighteye njuryr he second ufferedoss ffourfingersn onehandandpossibleossofsight noneeve: he third was atallv niuredwith the 6inch ;hisel entennsbelowhis left nostriland embeddedn the biin.[K.Everett ndF. A. Grafr.HandLng erch-loric AcidandPerchlorates.n: N.V. Steere,Ed,Handbookof laboratory Safety,Second
tollron-19,/ , I
Threeoffrcersn Canadaere njuredwhileattemprrngo burn malluantrrres[ thrsmrx-tureon a shovel lade.ACubanevolutionaryombern Miamiost50percentof his hearing n one ear and 100Dercentnthe other earwhenthe front of hisbody rom the waistup wasblackenedrom theexplosion f aredphosphorusixture n a sixounce an,whichwasbeinsmade nto a home- madencendiarvrenade.-Achemistry eacherost a fingerwhenlessthan nounce f hrs edhosphorus.otassiumnitrate and thermite mixture exploded nabeaker hilehewas arryingt fromone oom oanother,A writerofa book ellioghowo make ombslKurtSaxon]ostallhis ingers n onehandwith an ouncefthe samemixture.[ThomasC, Brcdie,Bonbs and Bombings.Charleshomas, 972.1I sendvoutwosmallphialsofnitraledsul-phuretfporash.ryellow owder.s r rsusu.allycalledn this country..Ihavemadesomehundredoundsfit, whichwere agerlyoughtupbyhuntersand sponsmanorprimingirearms,purposehich t answered ostadmira'bly; ani,butfor the happyntroductionofpowderorpriming,which s igritedbypercus-sion,twould ongsinceavegonentoexten-siveuse.withthispreparationhavehadmuch o do.and doubt,vhether,n thewhole ircle fexper-imentalphilosophy,many cases anbefoundinvolving angecmorediffjcult o beovercome, thanmelting ulminatingowderandavingheproduct,nd educingheprocesso a businessoperation. havehadwith itsome ightof thetremendous xDlosions.nd in one of them Ireceived,ull in;y face ndeyes,he flameofaquanerf apoundof the composition,ustas thadbecomehoror.rehlv elted.i shallbut;ustriention a fataleventwhichlately happenedn Germany,rom anexperi-ment madewithbaisam f sulphur erebinthi-nated, ndconfinedn aclose hemicalessel,and hus exploded y fire; Godgranthat mor-ul menmavnowbeso neeniousttheirowncost, as topervertaprJfitabl"science nylonger o suchhorribleuses. orthisreasonforbearo mention several ther matters armore horrible and destructive,han any ofthose ebearsed.
PGIBulletinNo. 64, March 1989age 12
of 00

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