.50 BMG+ 100 Lbs. Tannerite+Dumptruck=Nuclear Plant Alert

[OneLungMcClung]

Beauty.

http://postbulletin.com/newsmanager/...p?a=323466&z=2

Nuclear plant goes on high alert after explosion in truck

1/14/2008 11:29:24 AM

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

RED WING -- Workers at the Prairie Island nuclear plant were put on high alert temporarily on Sunday after a man blew up an explosive in a dump truck box about a mile away, authorities said.

According to Goodhue County Sheriff Dean Albers, a Welch Township man used explosives he had ordered through the mail. The blast was triggered from 300 yards away with a shot from a .50-caliber rifle. "It was quite an explosion," Albers said.

Chunks of metal flew about a quarter mile, including over a nearby public road. And "there's nothing left of the (steel) dump box," the sheriff said this morning.

The blast was heard and felt more than a mile away at the Prairie Island nuclear power plant, alarming the plant's security force.

Mike Wadley, site vice president of the plant, said the plant was put under heightened security from about 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. until officials could determine what had happened. He said security workers at the plant's gatehouse "heard a loud noise" and felt the station's windows rattle around 5 p.m. The plant returned to normal activity once investigators established that the incident was not connected to the plant, he said.

Sheriff's deputies learned from the landowner that the dump box had been packed with 100 pounds of an explosive called Tannerite, which is legal to send through the mail. The blast also occurred on the man's property. The land owner provided a videotape of the explosion, Albers said. He and a group of people had set it up and watched it occur.

The Goodhue County Attorney's office is checking to see if any laws were violated.

"Sending debris flying that far across a public roadway public roadway ... is of concern to us," Albers said. Also of concern, he said, is that that much explosive could be purchased legally and sent through the mail.

Your Tannerite Primer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannerite

Notice the opening line in Para 1:

Tannerite is a binary explosive used primarily as a target for firearms practice.

This little fact will not matter. After all, what do you need .50 cals and explosives for? Those are dangerous. You must be dangerous. All of you. Let the Government keep you safe

[MarcS]

Sounds like criminal negligence on the shooters behalf.

[RocketFoot]

Sounds like criminal negligence on the shooters behalf.

Yeah, he should have filed the proper paper work with the federal, state and local government. Plus he should have had a permit to shut down the road for 3 hours and had the FAA clear the airspace for a 2 mile radius. Don't forget to have the proper fire and rescue medics on hand as well as 3 different ordnance experts and bomb disposal units! And then there is the power plant...they should have been notified via the proper paper work in triplicate accompanied by a DNA sample and fingerprints...

What a crock! We've all blown stuff up...his biggest mistake is living within a mile of a nuclear power plant! (The whole neighborhood probably glows at night!) LOL

[D-FENS]

Remember this story in a year from now.

Hillary and Company have been screaming for a BMG ban yet nothing remotely close has occurred using the .50 BMG. While this still isn't close, it's close enough for them.

[MarcS]

Yeah, he should have filed the proper paper work with the federal, state and local government. Plus he should have had a permit to shut down the road for 3 hours and had the FAA clear the airspace for a 2 mile radius. Don't forget to have the proper fire and rescue medics on hand as well as 3 different ordnance experts and bomb disposal units! And then there is the power plant...they should have been notified via the proper paper work in triplicate accompanied by a DNA sample and fingerprints...

What a crock! We've all blown stuff up...his biggest mistake is living within a mile of a nuclear power plant! (The whole neighborhood probably glows at night!) LOL

he endangered lives because he didn't know what the fuck he was doing. I don't give a shit about the paperwork, if you're going to blow something up big, you better know the blast radius and make sure there's nothing in the danger zone. He did not take proper precautions to assure that his stunt wouldn't damage others property or persons, that makes him a dumbfuck.

[TonyF]

Yet another example of a self inflicted wound to our gun rights. I can't believe how childish and foolish some people can be.

[alzeller]

I agree with Marc. Setting off a 1/4, 1/2, even a stick of dynamite vs. BLOWING UP A TRUCK FULL of ANYTHING is STUPID. Its not like setting off some M-80's.

I feel like that commercial 'professionals use professional grade tools', and don't GUESS at the outcome.

[ExCopInPhilly]

Yet another example of a self inflicted wound to our gun rights. I can't believe how childish and foolish some people can be.

+1, some people should think about the potential repercussions of the things they do. It may be fun to blow things up for some people, but they need to think about the fallout. I won't argue with his right to do it, if it was legal, but, damn, why give the anti-s another example of irresponsibility + guns.

I owe you rep Tony, but I have to spread the love first.

[RocketFoot]

he endangered lives because he didn't know what the fuck he was doing. I don't give a shit about the paperwork, if you're going to blow something up big, you better know the blast radius and make sure there's nothing in the danger zone. He did not take proper precautions to assure that his stunt wouldn't damage others property or persons, that makes him a dumbfuck.

I agree...it was a dangerous stunt, but from the story's context...we really don't know much about the guy's stunt! Apparently no one was injured so he must have taken proper precautions to avoid injury to himself and his spectators. It also could have been done on a farm far away from anything (other than the road, of course) We just don't know so I don't want to condemn the dude. The authorities aren't very quick to hit him with a charge yet either...

Now with this said, I also agree that stunts like this are stupid and only give the anti's more ammo against the rest of us down to earth gun owners!

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

he endangered lives because he didn't know what the fuck he was doing. I don't give a shit about the paperwork, if you're going to blow something up big, you better know the blast radius and make sure there's nothing in the danger zone. He did not take proper precautions to assure that his stunt wouldn't damage others property or persons, that makes him a dumbfuck.

I couldn't have said it better.