Bomb deemed to be from WWII explodes in Bangkok Thailand TODAY!

[3air]

From the MSN news site.


Most of you have probably read about this already, but for those who haven't, here's the link below.


Apparently a WWII bomb once dropped by Allied Forces exploded when scrap workers attempted to use a blowtorch to cut up the bomb.


The bomb was found by construction workers at a job site in Thailand.


Bangkok scrap workers killed opening suspected WW2 bomb with blow torch

 

[vikingBerserker]

Gees, that really is a shame, but using a blow torch to open a bomb? It sounded like the knew what it was.

 

[3air]

Seems like greed was they key factor and safety went out the window here.

It's simply amazing to me though how something 70 years old was still armed.

 

[Alex .]

Using a blowtorch to cut up a bomb? Are you kidding me?

Still happening on WWI battlefields too, this one the other day; First World War bomb explodes killing 2 in Ypres, Belgium -- Society's Child -- Sott.net

 

[tyrodtom]

Seems like greed was they key factor and safety went out the window here.

It's simply amazing to me though how something 70 years old was still armed.

You can set off most high explosives with the high heat of a acetylene cutting torch, it doesn't have to be armed.

I've heard, though I don't know this for a fact, that some explosives get more sensitive with age.
And some of the military high explosives in use during WW2 was more sensitive than what would be acceptable in today's military.

 

[Shinpachi]

No words.

 

[Mobius]

Luckily it wasn't a Tall Boy. But those need Claymores to set off (Rambo).

 

[3air]

Using a blowtorch to cut up a bomb? Are you kidding me?

Still happening on WWI battlefields too, this one the other day; First World War bomb explodes killing 2 in Ypres, Belgium -- Society's Child -- Sott.net

Sorry for the late response, but Wow, that's crazy, Alex. I had no idea that goes on over there. I mean, we hear about land mines left in places during more recent times going off, but that's quite old.

You can set off most high explosives with the high heat of a acetylene cutting torch, it doesn't have to be armed.

I've heard, though I don't know this for a fact, that some explosives get more sensitive with age.
And some of the military high explosives in use during WW2 was more sensitive than what would be acceptable in today's military.

Interesting stuff. I think I should have used the word "active" up there ^^^^ in my last post rather than armed.

 

[pbehn]

You can set off most high explosives with the high heat of a acetylene cutting torch, it doesn't have to be armed.

I've heard, though I don't know this for a fact, that some explosives get more sensitive with age.
And some of the military high explosives in use during WW2 was more sensitive than what would be acceptable in today's military.

I heard the same on TV. After a long period being dormant the explosive degenerates and can get hypersensitive so that even vibrations can set it off. Finding bombs in Germany is common, I think abot 5 to 10% didnt explode, thats a lot of bombs.

 

[pbehn]

You can set off most high explosives with the high heat of a acetylene cutting torch, it doesn't have to be armed.

I've heard, though I don't know this for a fact, that some explosives get more sensitive with age.
And some of the military high explosives in use during WW2 was more sensitive than what would be acceptable in today's military.

I heard the same on TV. After a long period being dormant the explosive degenerates and can get hypersensitive so that even vibrations can set it off. Finding bombs in Germany is common, I think abot 5 to 10% didnt explode, thats a lot of bombs.

 

[Milosh]

3air

Lethal relics from WW1 are still emerging - Telegraph

Nearly 100 years on the Belgian and French authorities are still clearing up the debris of the Great War. In fact their so-called 'Iron Harvests' are bigger now than they were several decades ago, largely because the farmers have heavier and more sophisticated tractors that plough much deeper, and because more construction work is taking place in the towns and villages along the old Western Front. Last year alone the Belgian military collected 105 tons of munitions, many containing toxic chemicals, and the French police, who run a similar collection service out of a base near Arras, 80 tons. The year before the combined total was 274 tons. Sometimes, when a long-lost arms cache or depot is discovered, the total is higher still. In 2004, for example, 3,000 German artillery shells were found at a single site in Dadizele, east of Ypres.

 

[Thorlifter]

Yes sir, I'm here with my bomb "taker-aparter" tools. Where do I start?

 

[Airframes]

As the saying goes, "If at first, you don't succeed, then maybe bomb disposal is not for you".

 

[GrauGeist]

There's tons of old unexploded bombs and munitions all over.

I've seen recently where a Wehrmacht munitions stash was uncovered near the Russian border by amateur metal detector enthusiasts, containing artillery, mortar and MG stores. The condition of the munitions were nasty: rusty, corroded and piled on top of each other and here they were digging through that pile...

 

[Gnomey]

Indeed.

Certainly using a blow torch was not the most intelligent option to open it.

Shame to hear of the deaths.

 

[Glider]

The bomb disposal teams often blow bombs up at Southend on the Thames estuary. Every so often one goes off where the main charge explodes and I promise you its impressive when that happens. The tide goes out so far they don't clear the area or even issue a warning, just set it off.