[Kreed]

URL: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/0703/14glock.html

3 hurt, 1 critically, in blast at Glock facility in Smyrna
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
7.14.03
MIKE MORRIS and DON PLUMMER

Three people were seriously burned late this morning in an explosion at a Smyrna gun manufacturer. The blast occurred in the facility's test-firing range area shortly before 11 a.m. at the Glock Inc. facility at 6000 Highlands Parkway.

Smyrna police Chief Larry Williams said one person, a male, sustained "very serious" injuries to the hands, face and arms, and described the injuries to the other employees, a male and a female, as "serious but not life-threatening."

He said the cause of the blast had not been determined, but added, "it appears the explosion was residue from spent ammunition."

All three of the injured were taken to the burn unit at Grady Memorial Hospital, the most seriously injured man by helicopter. Authorities would not release their identities.

Williams said there was no fire when firefighters arrived. He described the incident as a "flash" explosion.

"If there was any fire it was controlled by the automatic supression equipment," he said.

Glock said it would have no comment until Tuesday.

Firefighters called the fire marshal, OSHA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobba and Firearms to the scene.

Glock manufactures 9 mm and .38- and .40-caliber handguns. The weapons are used by many police departments. The Smyrna facility is in an office park.

[10-Ring]

There's a similar thread over in General Discssion ;)

[Desert Dog]

KB! at the Glock plant? :what:

Someone sneak some lead loads in??? :uhoh:

[Kreed]

No fooling. I looked there and didn't see it. Got a link? I really need to find out how "residue from spent ammunition" can explode! :rolleyes:

[Hkmp5sd]

I really need to find out how "residue from spent ammunition" can explode!

When the powder doesn't completely burn, it just comes of the barrel and/or the chamber and accumulates on the ground (or other surface). After a several thousand rounds, it can build up enough to make a nice kaboom. Similar to never sweeping/vacuuming around your reloading bench and spilling small amounts of powder in the area for a few months/years.

[Glockster35]

I agree this is totally possible. At one base I was at, we were testing a new Frangible round for the AF. One fo the things we noticed was that there was a lot of un-burnt gun powder left on the range floor after firing the rounds.

Now I know someone will ask how we noticed, so I will say that smoking on the line is not a good idea...and yes one of my instructors did! wow was that an awesome fireworks presentation...burnt 1/3 of the range from floor to ceiling!

[Mal H]

The duplicate (and earlier) thread was in Autoloaders. I've merged the contents of the two threads and moved it to General Discussion. I'll close this one.