Tannerite accident

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Posted: 4/20/2010 3:48:01 PM EDT

"Clarkston man seriously hurt in Whitman County explosion April 19th, 2010(8) commentsTribune A 20-year-old Clarkston man was seriously injured Sunday afternoon in an explosion about a mile west of Red Wolf Bridge in Whitman County.

According to police, Joseph Brice was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center after a quart-size container with an explosive material called Tannerite was ignited by the man between Down River Road and the Snake River.

He was later airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, a nursing supervisor said.

Whitman County Sgt. Rick McNannay said the preliminary investigation indicates Brice lit a fuse on the device and turned to walk away. He got about six feet away before it went off, he said.

Pieces of his clothing were found 10 to 15 feet away, and pieces of the device were found 30 feet away, McNannay said.

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

Officers from Clarkston and Asotin County responded to the call, along with the Whitman County deputy. A Lewiston ambulance stationed in Asotin County made the transport, and crews from Asotin County Fire District No. 1 and Whitman County Fire District No. 14 were at the scene. "

Update:
"Accident victim transferred to Seattle hospitalApril 20th, 2010(0) commentsJoseph Brice, 20, of Clarkston, has been transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he was listed in serious condition Monday night.

Brice was injured Sunday in an explosion near Red Wolf Bridge in Whitman County. He was first taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston after the incident and then airlifted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, where he had been listed in critical condition. Brice was later taken to Harborview for more treatment.

According to an investigation, Brice lit a fuse on a homemade device and turned to walk away. The device exploded while he was within 6 feet of it. The device was made of Tannerite, a binary explosive material, commonly used as a target for firearms."

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:49:53 PM EDT

[#1]

I dont think it was Tannerite...

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:50:12 PM EDT

[#2]

Shrapnel???

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:51:15 PM EDT

[#3]

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:51:18 PM EDT

[#4]

I thought tannerite was detonated by shock, not a fuse.

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:52:05 PM EDT

[#5]

fuse wont set it off, bet it was mixed with fuel or had fuel around it

still he is a fucking idiot and darwin should have won.

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:52:15 PM EDT

[#6]

Sounds like he was using a homemade igniter to set it off? Its always some dumb ass who ruins it for everyone else...

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:52:49 PM EDT

[#7]

metal can.

First one

Link to second article

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:52:53 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.
This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Posted: 4/20/2010 3:57:55 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

I don't think you have much experience with explosives.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:01:27 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Yep. That as my point.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:03:23 PM EDT

[#11]

Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:06:12 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

I bet that a blasting cap would.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:06:12 PM EDT

[#13]

If it was tannerite, It's a pretty good bet that he fabricated a home made detonator, or stole a commercial one.

Jackass

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:11:21 PM EDT

[#14]

Self-cleaning oven.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:14:18 PM EDT

[#15]

Bet that was a kick in the ass...

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:17:02 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

yes. I've done it.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:24:07 PM EDT

[#17]

As a kid, I accidentally made a small bomb by putting smoke powder into a very small glass gar with a screw on lid.

Poked a hole in the lid and inserted a fuse. The intent was to make a "smoke bomb" but as the powder started burning, the guess the glass heated up and increased the pressure. Not sure exactly if that was the cause, but the damn thing exploded in my face sending glass shrapnel flying.

One of the many times my Guardian Angel saved my hide.

-3D

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:25:11 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Yep.

Still using it in a fashion that is outside of the intended scope. Sounds fishy and like he was intentionally making improvised explosive devices that skirt on the edge of a pipe bomb. Too bad he didn't kill himself. And since he survived they should look into filing charges based on criminal mischief or whatever they have covering the making of pipe bombs.

I say this because those of you who enjoy using tannerite better defend the responsible use of the stuff or it's going to get yanked away quick.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:28:38 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
As a kid, I accidentally made a small bomb by putting smoke powder into a very small glass gar with a screw on lid.

Poked a hole in the lid and inserted a fuse. The intent was to make a "smoke bomb" but as the powder started burning, the guess the glass heated up and increased the pressure. Not sure exactly if that was the cause, but the damn thing exploded in my face sending glass shrapnel flying.

One of the many times my Guardian Angel saved my hide.

-3D

Smoke formulas are usually solids from what I understand. That insures that the burn is from the outside inwards or the inside outwards. Loose powder, has the potential to turn into a flash powder and go up all at once. Fact is you probably saved your ass by having a glass container with no structural strength to it and in fact prevented pressures from rising too high before it failed.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:30:51 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

Yes....and so will a 9mm and a .45......and a 12 gauge slug.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:38:27 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Yep.

Still using it in a fashion that is outside of the intended scope. Sounds fishy and like he was intentionally making improvised explosive devices that skirt on the edge of a pipe bomb. Too bad he didn't kill himself. And since he survived they should look into filing charges based on criminal mischief or whatever they have covering the making of pipe bombs.

I say this because those of you who enjoy using tannerite better defend the responsible use of the stuff or it's going to get yanked away quick.

WTF?

Why should he die?

Why should he be charged with anything?

As a kid I made all kinds of explosives. Pipe bombs, ANFO, and even a FA device one time. Why on earth would you wish death on a man for good clean fun. Yes, I know it is illegal, but it should not be.

Probably should be protected under the 2nd.

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:45:51 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Yes, I know it is illegal, but it should not be.

Probably should be protected under the 2nd.

If only he'd crossed the state line - in Idaho, it would have been legal under state law.

If the feds have a hardon for you, it's probably a DD, but still. He was so close to freedom.

Speaking of, off to Idaho to whip up a ton of explosives by hand this weekend.

Woo hoo Idaho!

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:51:25 PM EDT

[#23]

Tannerite... highly unlikely. It requires more than a fuse to ignite.... but that's been said before. My bet would be he put an assload of gunpowder in a paint can and then put a fuse on it. Dumbass didn't read / know the burn rate of the fuse he lit. He should've just held the container in his hand until he couldn't see the lit fuse anymore. That would've solved the problem of unknown burn rate + using a short fuse because you've only got 18" of it laying around = profit for Darwin.

Stupid people. Deserves everything he got.
-SS

Posted: 4/20/2010 4:58:32 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
WTF?

Why should he die? Darwinism in practice.

Why should he be charged with anything? If you are stupid with explosives, regardless of "good clean fun" immunity, and require medical assistance/emergency services. Yeah, you should expect that something might come down the pike. Maybe with the intent of an educational lesson, if nearly blowing yourself up doesn't work then maybe a criminal charge might help it sink in.

As a kid I made all kinds of explosives. Pipe bombs, ANFO, and even a FA device one time. Why on earth would you wish death on a man for good clean fun. Yes, I know it is illegal, but it should not be. It's illegal, when you nearly kill yourself and people have to come save your ass, you should not get off scott free for your "good clean" illegal fun. Worse, you shouldn't run around openly blabbing about it.

Probably should be protected under the 2nd. Good luck with that. An argument could be made for arms in common use, maybe even lucking out and using it to over turn the NFA regs in some far off utopian pipe dream. But a great many people are going to start taking issue with "good clean fun" explosives and the idiots who prove to be a danger to themselves and compound those issues with poor storage.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:00:39 PM EDT

[#25]

That is what guessing will get you-

I reckon one would need at least some common sense to time test x length of use..........first

Nothing gets changed or banned until someone does something silly with it.

Real M-80's
Warning on ladder, blow dryers... you know the ones

next might be tannerite-shame

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:01:42 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Yep.

Still using it in a fashion that is outside of the intended scope. Sounds fishy and like he was intentionally making improvised explosive devices that skirt on the edge of a pipe bomb. Too bad he didn't kill himself. And since he survived they should look into filing charges based on criminal mischief or whatever they have covering the making of pipe bombs.

I say this because those of you who enjoy using tannerite better defend the responsible use of the stuff or it's going to get yanked away quick.

wtf, he should have died? real classy, you should stay in cali it suits you

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:06:01 PM EDT

[#27]

Doesn't sound like a Tannerite accident.

It sounds like stupid was in 100% control

Mission accomplished!

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:08:44 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
wtf, he should have died? real classy, you should stay in cali it suits you

I have to wonder how many people are getting defensive because they partake in similar activities and take similar risks. It's simple. When playing the odds when doing terribly stupid things, I favor Darwinism. Don't care if it's classy or not. Better the one idiot all by himself than an innocent bystander later.

I am not talking about some pyrotechnic show being put on by somebody who's considerably closer to a professional and nearly blows himself up in a freak accident. Talking about somebody who's just slightly above bumbling and above pity who was just barely smart lucky enough to not kill himself.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:08:54 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

I bet that a blasting cap would.

or a sensitive homemade explosive used as a cap or booster.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:12:13 PM EDT

[#30]

Chance are that he had made some sort of illegal device and told the police it was tannerite because its not illegal to own or detonate. He was just.....wait for it......

Covering his ass.....LOL

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:14:41 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
As a kid, I accidentally made a small bomb by putting smoke powder into a very small glass gar with a screw on lid.

Poked a hole in the lid and inserted a fuse. The intent was to make a "smoke bomb" but as the powder started burning, the guess the glass heated up and increased the pressure. Not sure exactly if that was the cause, but the damn thing exploded in my face sending glass shrapnel flying.

One of the many times my Guardian Angel saved my hide.

-3D

That's nothing. My brother decided to hit some primers with a hammer. Scars on his knee are still there a quarter century later.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:16:12 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Could a firework, black powder explosive or other homemade explosive device provide enough energy to set Tannerite off?

Yes....and so will a 9mm and a .45......and a 12 gauge slug.

Not sure about that.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:16:25 PM EDT

[#33]

There is nothing really safe about safety fuse. Any fuse can and will change its burn rate during a production run and during storage/miss-storage. Never trust the printed burn rate and if at all possible don't use a fuse at all. It does sound like he technically made a pipe bomb if he used metal, depending on what was inside one could argue it was a large homemade firework. The fuse alone most likely did not set off the tannerite. Haven't seen the size of container but even fuel oil with the AN most likely wouldn't have exploded well with just a fuse, needs a booster. A M80 or larger firework may be able to work as a booster not a 100% of the time though if the container was not large enough. If he used some blackpowder in the mix then that's probably what ripped the container open.

The quart jar size and diameter of shrapnel sounds like a home made aerial/report shell of questionable quality without the lift charge. I.E. blackpowder in a plastic/cardboard container.

The smoke bomb trick mentioned earlier probably didn't work because you increased the reaction surface area but kept the exit hole small. So yes the heat and gases built up pressure faster than the smoke could vent out. Better luck would be had by ramming the contents in to a long but small diameter cardboard tube and putting the fuse in one end. You still can get a pop depending on the diameter and reaction rate of the smoke powder in question.

Sad he got hurt, sad that it gives tannerite a bad name. There is a reason you go to school to learn about explosives, Hell I still have all my fingers

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:17:14 PM EDT

[#34]

Play stupid games ... win stupid prizes ... like 1200 stitches in your ass and walking with a limp for the rest of your life. Hopefully it blew off his nads before he had a chance to pass down his defective DNA.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:19:28 PM EDT

[#35]

This ranks up there with the guy who blew up a dump truck 1 mile away from a nuclear plant using tannerite. Dumb fucks...

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:21:34 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
I thought tannerite was detonated by shock, not a fuse.

Correct, and as others have pointed out that 'shock' can be from a detonator (homemade or otherwise). Whether it is shock from a bullet or from a detonator makes no difference except in the velocity of detonation ie. the faster the initiating shock wave, the faster the shock wave of the Tannerite or similar binary explosive device.

The inherent safety of Tannerite as it is used by people on this site is that they make sure they are at a safe distance before they shoot it.

If he was using an unstable peroxide type detonator or if the fuse was too short then you get your shit fucked up.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:22:12 PM EDT

[#37]

Double tap

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:24:22 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Play stupid games ... win stupid prizes ... like 1200 stitches in your ass and walking with a limp for the rest of your life. Hopefully it blew off his nads before he had a chance to pass down his defective DNA.

But Paul, that's not classy of you!

Though I will say I do sound a bit more cynical in my post. Damned if my blood lust has yet to be satisfied today. My day just won't be complete unless I get to laugh at the demise of somebody who was doing something grossly stupid. I'm about 50/50 serious/morbidly joking when saying it's too bad he didn't blow himself up.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:28:15 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Play stupid games ... win stupid prizes ... like 1200 stitches in your ass and walking with a limp for the rest of your life. Hopefully it blew off his nads before he had a chance to pass down his defective DNA.

But Paul, that's not classy of you!

Though I will say I do sound a bit more cynical in my post. Damned if my blood lust has yet to be satisfied today. My day just won't be complete unless I get to laugh at the demise of somebody who was doing something grossly stupid. I'm about 50/50 serious/morbidly joking when saying it's too bad he didn't blow himself up.

I feel badly for this guy since he wasn't trying to hurt anyone else or engaged in criminal activity that will hurt someone else. But like you, I can laugh at some idiots. My favorite is the people who try to steal live electric cables and fry themselves.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:29:11 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
. the faster the initiating shock wave, the faster the shock wave of the Tannerite or similar binary explosive device.

Incorrect. The detonation velocity is invariant of the velocity of the initiator.

You can overdrive some explosives; however, they settle down with a couple charge diameters.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:32:43 PM EDT

[#41]

he may very well have made a small pipe bomb or something similar to set it off like a blasting cap... I am thinking you could touch off tannerite that way

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:36:03 PM EDT

[#42]

A good sized, and that would be illegal, flash powder salute will initiate Tannerite or AN-NM.

Such salutes, containing more than 50 mg of KClO4/Al, are illegal to store for more than a day without ATF license and approved magazine. So technically, one could have all the necessary ingredients, blending and making the salute just before use.

Tannerite's legality has nothing to do with how it is set off, just a matter of transportation and storage.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:36:12 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
he may very well have made a small pipe bomb or something similar to set it off like a blasting cap... I am thinking you could touch off tannerite that way

A CO2 canister, some epoxy, black powder, and cannon fuse will do the trick.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:47:28 PM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I dont think it was Tannerite...

Even if it was, so what? You light a fuse on some gasoline and that'll blow up too.

This guy is probably just calling w/e he had "Tannerite" because it's legal and he's hoping to get off.

Yep.

Still using it in a fashion that is outside of the intended scope. Sounds fishy and like he was intentionally making improvised explosive devices that skirt on the edge of a pipe bomb. Too bad he didn't kill himself. And since he survived they should look into filing charges based on criminal mischief or whatever they have covering the making of pipe bombs.

I say this because those of you who enjoy using tannerite better defend the responsible use of the stuff or it's going to get yanked away quick.

WTF?

Why should he die?

Why should he be charged with anything?

As a kid I made all kinds of explosives. Pipe bombs, ANFO, and even a FA device one time. Why on earth would you wish death on a man for good clean fun. Yes, I know it is illegal, but it should not be.

Probably should be protected under the 2nd.

Because of the current political climate, that could turn this incident, into a ban for the rest of us.

It aint the 1960s

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:51:36 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:

Quoted:
. the faster the initiating shock wave, the faster the shock wave of the Tannerite or similar binary explosive device.

Incorrect. The detonation velocity is invariant of the velocity of the initiator.

You can overdrive some explosives; however, they settle down with a couple charge diameters.

Sorry, what I should have said is that:

1) The more powerful the initiating shock wave, the more likely you will have complete detonation of the entire charge. A 5.56 bullet may fail to detonate the whole charge whereas a strong homemade detonator/booster would ensure that the whole charge went off.

2) The stronger the confinement, the faster the velocity of detonation. If he was using a metal container, there is a higher likelihood of smaller metal shrapnel fragments.

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:52:54 PM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:

Quoted:
. the faster the initiating shock wave, the faster the shock wave of the Tannerite or similar binary explosive device.

Incorrect. The detonation velocity is invariant of the velocity of the initiator.

You can overdrive some explosives; however, they settle down with a couple charge diameters.

Sorry, what I should have said is that:

1) The more powerful the initiating shock wave, the more likely you will have complete detonation of the entire charge. A 5.56 bullet may fail to detonate the whole charge whereas a strong homemade detonator/booster would ensure that the whole charge went off.

2) The stronger the confinement, the faster the velocity of detonation. If he was using a metal container, there is a higher likelihood of smaller metal shrapnel fragments.

both of those I can agree with

Posted: 4/20/2010 5:58:03 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
As a kid, I accidentally made a small bomb by putting smoke powder into a very small glass gar with a screw on lid.

Poked a hole in the lid and inserted a fuse. The intent was to make a "smoke bomb" but as the powder started burning, the guess the glass heated up and increased the pressure. Not sure exactly if that was the cause, but the damn thing exploded in my face sending glass shrapnel flying.

One of the many times my Guardian Angel saved my hide.

-3D

Doesn't sound like you accidentally did anything