http://www.kctv5.com/story/351...rmy-ammunition-plant

(video at link)

INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) -
One employee is dead and three others are hurt after an explosion Tuesday in a mixing building at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.

Lake City Army Ammunition Plant provides quality small-caliber munitions and operates the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) test center. It sits on 3,935 acres in Independence.

There is no additional information at this time.

uh oh

too bad - I hope no one else is seriously injured

Wow, thats where my past M1 ammo came from. I sure burned a lot of it.

Sigmund around to weigh in with his Rock Island Arsenal experience?

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
uh oh

too bad - I hope no one else is seriously injured

Up to six injured, with one being "serious."

My condolences go out to the family of the dead employee and my best wishes to the injured but sadly it is always a potential hazard at these types of facilities.

Years ago I did some engineering work at the Kingsport/Holston Army Ammunition Plant, much of which was built in very short order during World War II. Each step of the process was housed in a different building located quite some distance apart with the product having to be hauled (mostly under fire-resistant covered walkways) between the buildings.

It was explained to the design team that the relative distances between buildings were determined by the explosivity of the product and the amount expected to be present at any particular time. That way, in the event of an explosion or fire only one part of the process would be destroyed. I don't remember for sure now, but I believe there was redundancy with parallel facilities for each step so it would never be shut down by a single accident.

Good thing I am stocked up on XM193, because that's where mine comes from.

Hopefully those that are injured are fine, condolences for the family of the one that passed.

Interesting. My mother worked there in the early '50's.

Shit that ain't good.

I live 5 miles up the road and the explosion was not loud enough for us to hear. I heard it was in one of the bunkers where they make the primers.

I read a headline somewhere but didn't connect the dots that this could be Lake City...

sorry to hear about a fatality.
I wish everyone involved the best that can come out of this.

HK Ag

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Sigmund around to weigh in with his Rock Island Arsenal experience?

I have no specific knowledge on Lake City, though I did get a tour of Iowa AAP in Burlington 30+ years ago. Iowa was and still is making HE items, unlike LC which is small arms only.

The cardinal rule of explosive safety is "Expose the minimum number of people to the minimum quantity of explosives for the minimum amount of time."

http://www.asaie.army.mil/Public/ESOH/esm.html

It may be totally unrelated to this accident, but IIRC the lead azide in primer mix is very sensitive.

Condolences to the family of the worker who lost his life. To the injured, get well soon.

that is terrible. 4000 acre property is insane.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:
that is terrible. 4000 acre property is insane.

I have several friends that used to get permits to hunt deer on the Iowa munitions property. Not sure how many acres it is but it is quite extensive. This is done to provide large buffer zones to protect people in the area in the small possibility that an event like this should occur. Not only are the results from blast effects an issue but there are many side effects from the chemicals being used that are health detrimental and this allows for dissipation before reaching a populated area. I know the fellows that hunted there had to sign a very all inclusive release to be able to enter. Not sure this is even available anymore due to potential security issues since 9/11.