Explosion at Hornady Manufacturing

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They said a small explosion launched the container 50 feet.... right. Those containers don't just up and move. That was a serious explosion.
 
Wonder if the 101 degree temperatures caused the powder to break down and auto combust? The photo above shows containers with holes, where they ruptured. KABOOM. Powders with a high percent of nitroglycerin can detonate.
 
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They said a small explosion launched the container 50 feet.... right. Those containers don't just up and move. That was a serious explosion.
Click to expand...

The "small" explosion was in reference to another incident in Feb. No mention of the one last night being small. Obviously not small this time.
 
From what I see in the video up above, it was a pretty massive explosion. I'm guessing that was filmed from a security camera somewhere - but it included the Hornady plant in the view.

It was 3am, so it didn't happen during the hottest times during the day. Does powder go bad over time, when it's exposed to high temperatures during the day?
 
Form the picture it doesn’t look like the container moved at all. It is still lined up with the containers next to it. It’s hard for me to believe that it landed there after it exploded.
 
X-Ring said:
Form the picture it doesn’t look like the container moved at all. It is still lined up with the containers next to it. It’s hard for me to believe that it landed there after it exploded.
Click to expand...
The angle that the picture of the lined up containers was taken plays tricks on the eye, making it look as if just the doors are gone. It looks as if the container rocketed off into the street. Notice that the left end of the container is somewhat in tact. It looks as if the doors held while the doors on the right side appear to be gone. If you look closely, you can see a hornady sign on the right side of the road which makes sense...

I am an internet expert and this is my verdict on the case.
 
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With the extreme heat they've been having, I bet those containers are hot as the devil inside as they're not insulated..are they? Being new production powders (assuming) I wonder if the composition is off just a wee bit they might get more sensitive to auto-ignition? Or contamination in a container that somehow reacted with the powder? I'd think that their chemicals are WELL controlled when they're building propellants but no telling where they get the cans and if something foreign could have been left in one.

The video pretty much looked like one big BOOM...then a bunch of flares as the other containers vented. If the container was sealed it could have pressurized internally before the first one went off which might have added to the combustibility. If they are sealed...you'd think they would have to have a blow-off and vacuum valve to prevent collapse or explosion...but I'm asking because I really have no idea.
 
They don't make their own propellants, but I would imagine they know and do store what they have on hand properly. It's possible the containers are air conditioned, but the photos make that hard to tell. The one laying in the road doesn't appear to have an A/C unit on it.
 
Here is the plant in Grand Island NB from Gooble Maps.

Storage containers are packed together at the lower left of the photo.

The street (Claude Rd.) it landed in is directly to the far left of them.

Seems plausible to me.
A big bottle rocket full of powder that didn't blow up, just scooted along the ground a ways.

image.jpg

rc
 
Hey, they are steel storage containers.

What could possibly go wrong??

Looked a little hokey to me too, if they actually have mass quantities of powder stored in them in the parking lot. Which, they apparently do.

I would think earth bunkers out in the country would be the prudent thing to do if I were them.

I'll try to remember to check Google earth in a few months and see if anything changes!

rc
 
Powder Magazine and storage. Smokeless Powder Exemption

https://www.atf.gov/explosives/docs/newsletter/explosives-industry-newsletter-december-2011pdf/download
The Federal explosives laws (Title 18, U.S.C.,
Chapter 40), and the implementing regulation
at 27 CFR 555.141(a)(4), generally exempt
small arms ammunition and components of small arms
ammunition. The regulation at 27 CFR 555.11 defines
“Ammunition” as, “Small arms ammunition or cartridge
cases, primers, bullets, or smokeless propellants
designed for use in small arms, including percussion
caps, and 3
/
32
″ and other external burning pyrotechnic
hobby fuses. The term does not include black powder.”
Click to expand...
Not an explosive? :eek:
 
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I think that is saying the term ammunition as defined does not include anything using Blackpowder. I don't think they're trying to say black powder is not an explosive.
 
There is no way those trailers are there powder magazines. They are right by the road and parking lot. They put to many people in danger in that location. Safety regulations in plants like this take precedent over everything else.

Maybe the trailer had powder in it and it hadn't been transferred to permanent storage.
 
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