Primer truck explosion

[deltaenterprizes]

That was many many many years ago they changed that.

I remember when that happened!
You calling me an old fart?��
It was in the late 80s or early 90s. All of the sloppy reloaders at the plate matches were having problems because they didn’t seat their primers completely and Federal being soft were forgiving and the other brands were not!

[NSB]

Years ago a pallet of Federal primers went Kaboom. That is when they changed the packaging. They were once sold in five groove plastic containers. The primers were nested ten to a groove on their sides against each other. You know how they are packaged today.

My best guess is that the current explosion was caused by human negligence.

As an experienced safety manager and engineer, I can tell you that after almost fifty years of industrial experience that 99.9% of ALL accidents are caused by human negligence. They aren’t accidents, they’re people not diligently following documented safety processes and procedures. I still feel sorry for the people who get hurt, but it’s both their job and management’s job to make sure the rules are followed.

[TNsailorman]

That is my experience in the many years I was in manufacturing in one position or another. Too many people get in a hurry to go to the break shack or to go to lunch and take shortcuts. NSB is dead on in his comments. We did everything we could through training and re-training but there were always a small number of people who just would not take the time to do things right. my experience anyway, james

[dverna]

As an experienced safety manager and engineer, I can tell you that after almost fifty years of industrial experience that 99.9% of ALL accidents are caused by human negligence. They aren’t accidents, they’re people not diligently following documented safety processes and procedures. I still feel sorry for the people who get hurt, but it’s both their job and management’s job to make sure the rules are followed.

Exactly. Another example is the sub that just imploded. There are standards and protocols that keep people safe. Someone too lazy, or cheap or ignorant is the root cause of most "accidents".

Sad that a man lost his life and his family their dad/husband. It should be a wakeup call but many people think crap will not happen to them.

[popper]

Then there is the LC primer plant explosion. There are NO accidents, just undesired consequences. Primers are percussive devices so there is an immdeiate LARGE explosion. Seems like they were shotgun primers.

[elmacgyver0]

As a teenager I was sitting by a campfire when suddenly a bunch of loud pops went off and I felt something hitting my legs.
I quickly kicked the offending are of the fire away from the campfire and found what was left of a box of .22 LR ammunition.
I salvaged what was left, about 35 rounds and was a happy camper.
I seriously doubt a 22 casing would make its way thru the side of a burn barrel unless it happened to find an air hole or was contained in some way to build up pressure, if it could I would have been in a world of hurt.

[GregLaROCHE]

Just an interesting note. When I was a kid almost everyone burned their paper trash and usually in 55 gallon drums. My uncle was burning the paper trash one day and a 22 was in the trash and went off. He said, can't remember, either the case or the bullet when through the drum wall and stuck in his skin. Before I get comments on it going through the wall of the drum remember those drums got pretty deteriorated with fire in them and being exposed to the elements outside, so the are pretty thin. I would think the case being lighter then the bullet that it would be the part that went flying. Personally I don't think that really happened, don't know.

He could have been burnt by the case, but it would never have gone through a metal drum before. I’m not recommending anyone to do this, but growing up we played with a lot of 22 bullets. You could throw them on the sidewalk in the right way and they would go off. Never any damage. Perhaps we were lucky with our eyes. Later we would throw some in a campfire, just pops. Later, in my thirties, I had a party. At around 1am things were slowing down. I threw a dozen or so into the burning fireplace. A few small embers flew out, but everyone woke up and started partying again.

[BLAHUT]

Thursday afternoon a primer truck exploded at the East Alton Ammunition Plant (Winchester) killing the 60 yr old driver. Our condolences to the family for their loss. Not many things are sadder than a man or woman getting up everyday and going to their job and loosing their life in the process. This was the Shotshell primer facility if I read the press release right. It will certainly impact the priming compound supply negatively. To all of the Castboolit people who are making their own or attempting to, please exercise even more caution.
Murf

Unforchinate the driver lost his life, prayers go out for him and his family.. Too bed a load of primers was lost. When ammo is burned, the brass flies, not the projectile, this sets off more, in a chain reaction, now black powder, loose or in bags/kegs will explode.

[Land Owner]

Get past the ads and lead-ins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

Above is SAAMI testing of 100's of thousands of rounds of ammunition (shooting, burning) for the purpose of exposing myths in firefighting.

Below is the devastating explosion of a solid rocket fuel manufacturing plant in Utah (ammonium perchlorate is NOT used in ammunition primers), and one of the largest explosions ever caught on camera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KuGizBjDXo

Generally speaking small arms primers consist of an explosive, an oxidizer, a fuel, and a frictionator. Other compounds act as sensitizers and binders.

Explosives used include azides, fulminates, diazo compounds, nitro or nitroso compounds, for example, lead or silver azide, mercury fulminate, lead styphnate, TNT, and PETN (which also act as sensitizers).

Oxidizers used include barium nitrate, potassium chlorate, lead dioxide, and lead nitrate.

Fuels used include antimony sulfide (which also acts as a frictionator), gum arabic (which also acts as a binding agent), calcium silicide (which also acts as a frictionator), nitrocellulose, carbon black, lead thiocya-nate, and powdered metals such as aluminum, magnesium, zirconium, or their alloys.

Frictionators used include ground glass and aluminum powder (which also acts as a fuel).

Sensitizers used include tetracene, TNT, and PETN.

Binders used include gum arabic, gum tragacanth, glue, dextrin, sodium alginate, rubber cement, and karaya gum.

[NSB]

that YouTube video had nothing to do with primers. Waste of time to even watch it. It shows a plane crashing and blowing up.

[charlie b]

No, it had nothing to do with the primer issue, but, if you watch the whole thing (the airplane was a lead in) it has a good view of the results of a large scale detonation. Not as big as a 1000 or 2000lb bomb, but, still pretty destructive.

[Land Owner]

that YouTube video had nothing to do with primers. Waste of time to even watch it. It shows a plane crashing and blowing up.

Not the video I posted. Did you view past the lead ins? I posted the Utah Rocket Propellant Plant explosion and the other is the SAAMI firefighter's testing, which has a LOT to do with primers.

[NSB]

Not the video I posted. Did you view past the lead ins? I posted the Utah Rocket Propellant Plant explosion and the other is the SAAMI firefighter's testing, which has a LOT to do with primers.

You posted it, I just clicked on your link. I’m not about to check out every video on YouTube to find your post. YouTube isn’t very reliable anyway. Their motto is “keep trying and sooner or later it might happen”.

[charlie b]

The link worked just fine. Just have to watch the whole thing.

[Soundguy]

Mythbusters used a dead short in an old truck testing a story that two 'good 'ol boys' used a .22 as a fuse. The brass went flying and did minor damage to Buster.

I can personally attest that a popped 22lr case can minorly injure you if touched off. many decades ago...I was carrying a wood splitting wedge and dropped it knocking a plastic butter tub of odds n ends over and in the process.. that wedge fell on a stray 22lr that was in that butter tub.. the rim end of the 22lr came off and hit me on the inside of the left knee. I was wearing shorts... there was no pain.. and just a single line of blood. the rim was able to be removed with a pair of tweezers. it was fully in under the skin.. but you could feel it under the skin.. cleaned it up.. slapped a bandaid on it.. never caused me any problems that I know. I have since torn cartilage in that knee about 18 ys ago.. so it's had pictures taken and all and no other pieces were in there..

Startling.. but not lethal... but was able to get under the skin at near point blank range... sound was deafening...

[NSB]

Back about twenty years ago a couple of friends and myself were shooting as a team in three gun Team Challenge matches. We had our own range and we shot outside all winter getting ready for the national shoot in Florida. We live in WNY and it get pretty cold and snowy here. We kept a burn barrel going next to the firing line and once in a while we’d throw all the dud .22lr rimfires in the barrel. They all eventually “popped” but we never had one leave the barrel in the process. I think it was one of the dumber things we did back then, but no one ever got hurt. I guess we were “young and dumb”. Now days we’re just “old and senile”. I think they’re both the same thing. It’s not a good idea to do it even if you don’t think it will do anything. Murphy’s law….

[Shiloh]

Not a lot of info. FOX has a story.
Shiloh

[Patrick L]

So sad, I feel for the man's family.

We take these things so for granted.

[wyowillys46]

Get past the ads and lead-ins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

Above is SAAMI testing of 100's of thousands of rounds of ammunition (shooting, burning) for the purpose of exposing myths in firefighting.

Below is the devastating explosion of a solid rocket fuel manufacturing plant in Utah (ammonium perchlorate is NOT used in ammunition primers), and one of the largest explosions ever caught on camera

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KuGizBjDXo

Pepcon was in Henderson, NV.