Fire in the Hole!

Video (with audio) from an EPA cleanup site in east Texas.  Cans of crystallized ether had to be exploded on-site.  This material is shock-sensitive, has to be handled like an unstable explosive and is too dangerous to move anywhere else.  The solution here was a “blow-in-place” scenario.  Our ATF bomb tech put the cans in shallow holes, rigged them with a small donor charge and we remote-detonated them.

note white crystals on caps, an indicator of age and shock-sensitivity

Refer to the EPA web site at http://www.epaosc.org/site_profile.asp?site_id=06RZ for detailed information.

Dr. Scott Harris is the Senior Risk Manager for IESO, LLC.  His experience covers over 27 years of Environmental, Health and Safety Management in Federal and State government, consulting, general industry and University instruction.  He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science, with a specialization in Disaster and Emergency Management, from Oklahoma State University, and holds degrees in Geology (B.S.) and Public Health (MPH) from Western Kentucky University.  Before joining IESO Scott was a Federal On-Scene Coordinator for EPA Region 6 and a member of their Emergency Readiness Team.  He held DOD “Top Secret” and DOE “Q” security clearances, and directed multi-agency emergency response, planning and recovery activities for chemical, biological and radiological releases and exercises within the five-state region.

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