Looks rather serious.

Shit, that's right up the road a piece.

Hope she don't blow.

I thought PETN needed a detonantor?

#3 | Posted by silver_ironist

I started to post that. Makes you wonder where it was being shipped to and from though.

I thought PETN needed a detonantor?

#4 | Posted by LetUsPrey

Under the proper conditions a spark can ignite it.

"Under the proper conditions a spark can ignite it.

#6 | Posted by STIRSUMUP"

Is being underwater part of the "proper conditions"?

PETN is quite stable. It's damn near inert when it's wet. I used to make detonating cord with it at Texas Explosives about 40 years ago. We would dispose of scrap cord by burning it. Occasionally when we had a bunch we'd pile it up and put a cap to one of the scraps. KA-BOOM! What fun!

#7 | Posted by LetUsPrey

If I remember correctly it has to be under pressure or in some type of confinement. It burns slow in the open but under pressure it burns much more rapidly. We used something similar called Water Gel to blow up a dead whale about 20 years ago.It works very well under water. LOL

I saw that video.

Makes you wonder where it was being shipped to and from though.

My guess?

From China to Lejeune.

"I thought PETN needed a detonantor?

#4 | Posted by LetUsPrey

Under the proper conditions a spark can ignite it.

#6 | Posted by STIRSUMUP"

Proper conditions being the spark fires a detonator.

"We used something similar called Water Gel"

Not even remotely similar to PETN.

"Makes you wonder where it was being shipped to and from though.

My guess? From China to Lejeune.

#11 | Posted by silver_ironist"

I'd bet with a stop along the way. I don't think the military has much use for raw PETN... someone has to make it into C-4 and det cord etc first.

I saw that video.

video.google.com

#10 | Posted by LetUsPrey

No, that wasn't us. This was off the coast of NC. The guy I was working for was paid to drag it off shore and blow it up so it wouldn't wash back up. now they just dig a deep hole on the beach and bury them.

Proper conditions being the spark fires a detonator.

#12 | Posted by REDIAL

You may be right, but I do remember reading something about it being used in ammunition primers and seeing warning labels about static sparks.

Fire chief Wes Lail says there were nine drums containing the explosive material PETN in one shipping container. Nine 110-pound drums were punctured by a fork lift.

How the fark did the forklift driver manages to puncture 9 freaking drums?

You'd think after the first couple he might stopped or sommat.

Yeesh.

Be Well.

#16 | Posted by dethspud

15 gallon drums, three wide, three deep. 9 to a pallet. His forks might have been too high. My guess is the guy was on a cell phone.

15 gallon drums, three wide, three deep. 9 to a pallet

110 gallon actually.

His forks might have been too high.

Either his forks were or he was.

My guess is the guy was on a cell phone.

Coulda been. Article sez the accident occurred at 0444 hrs so he coulda just been sleepy too.

Be Well.

110 gallon actually.
#18 | Posted by dethspud

Nine 110-pound drums were punctured by a fork lift. Laila said the PETN was in a slurry form, shipped that way for safety reasons.

110 lbs of liquid mass. Water is 8.34 lbs per gallon. Most liquids fall with in a pound of that. That's a little more than 13 gallons. It's doubtful it's much heavier than water but if it was you may be able to use a 10 gallon drum. Most likely it's lighter than water. That's why I estimated a 15 gallon drum.