Official: 1 dead in Ala. Army arsenal explosion

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

Official: 1 dead in Ala. Army arsenal explosion
(AP) – 1 hour ago

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — One person was killed and one injured in a chemical explosion at the Army's Redstone Arsenal on Wednesday, but details on the cause were not immediately available, an emergency management official said.

Madison County emergency operations coordinator Jim Pockrus said the morning explosion occurred at the sprawling military base at Huntsville that is home to the Army missile command.

Pockrus said it was a "chemical-type" explosion and arsenal officials were "not requesting any help" from city or county responders. An arsenal spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ib9lO6WUJd3Owlp6BCvi2XcNBB3wD9FGOCG05

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. A bit more on this story

It appears it may have been some type of test which went horribly wrong.

One responder said the area where the explosion happened is a heavy demolition site. They have been testing there for days. They are still not sure what went wrong.

One HEMSI paramedic described the scene as "horrific."

The commander is doing a walk through. There was an apparent fire after the explosion, but it was put out. Everyone has been accounted for in the building.

Redstone Arsenal was built in 1941 to produce convention chemical ammunition for WWII. Later, Dr. Werner von Braun and his team developed the first ballistic missile. That led to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in 1960.

Redstone is now home to the Army Aviation and Missile Command. Redstone serves 157,223 Soldiers (active, retired and dependents) and 27,620 civilians.

http://www.walb.com/Global/story.asp?S=12429371

[maddezmom]

2. UPDATE: Redstone Arsenal: No dead, 2 injured in explosion

Redstone Arsenal: No dead, 2 injured in explosion
(AP) – 57 minutes ago

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Redstone Arsenal officials say two people have been injured and nobody has been killed in an explosion on the Army base in north Alabama.

A statement from Deputy Public Affairs Officer Kimberly Henry said one of the injured was being taken by helicopter to a Birmingham hospital and one to a Huntsville hospital. The explosion occurred Wednesday morning in a building that handles aviation and missile testing.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ib9lO6WUJd3Owlp6BCvi2XcNBB3wD9FGP0AO0

[bamademo]

3. More on story.

Redstone Arsenal chemical explosion occurred while contractors were removing fuel from rocket launcher, congressman says
By Niki Doyle, The Huntsville Times
May 05, 2010, 11:14AM

HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Two Amtec Corp. contractors were severely burned this morning in a chemical explosion on Redstone Arsenal while removing propellant from a rocket launcher, according to an Alabama congressman.

A statement from Rep. Parker Griffith, R-Huntsville, said the contractors were removing the propellant ammonium perchlorate from multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) when it ignited.

"While this is highly dangerous work, our civilians and servicemembers at Redstone Arsenal take pride in their stellar safety record," Griffith said in a statement.

More here:

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/05/redstone_arsenal_chemical_expl.html

[era veteran]

4. Contractors will be doing this in Ky, what could go wrong?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=154x2201