Firefighters forced to wait for 100K ammo rounds to explode

[Nucrunner 75]

http://www.fireengineering.com/ap-news/2016/08/04/firefighters-forced-to-wait-for-100k-ammo-rounds-to-explode.html

 

Firefighters forced to wait for 100K ammo rounds to explode

08/04/2016

 

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — Firefighters have put out a fire at an office building in New Jersey after waiting for 100,000 rounds of ammunition stored inside to explode.

The fire at the building in Toms River burned for two hours Thursday morning and ignited the ammunition. Toms River police spokesman Officer Ralph Stocco says that the building's owner is a competitive shooter.

Toms River Fire Department District 1 Chief John Gonzalez told the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/2ao7wOY) that the ammunition was popping for about 10 minutes. It took another few hours for the fire to stop smoldering.

No one was in the building at the time of the fire and no one was hurt. It wasn't clear how the fire began.

<edited - took out all that verbiage that seemed to suggest I couldn't post this>

[Krdshrk 3,877]

That's a lot of ammo.  I hope all is ok and works out.

[Lambo2936 297]

An office building? The neighboring structures are probably swiss cheese. I hope they evacuated the area.

[MidwestPX 172]

An office building? The neighboring structures are probably swiss cheese. I hope they evacuated the area.

Bullets don't travel far or with much energy when they aren't contained by a chamber and barrel.  They pop and go about 3-6 feet in my experience.

[Purple Patrick 638]

Yea it's a myth that ammo will shoot off in a fire. You could stand next to it and most likely be fine. Wouldn't want it to pop off in my hand tho

 

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[voyager9 3,433]

Bullets don't travel far or with much energy when they aren't contained by a chamber and barrel. They pop and go about 3-6 feet in my experience.

While not like the movies, there still could be a danger to firefighters operating nearby/inside. A round would probably just plonk off their gear but if it catches someone in the mask it could be a big problem.

 

 

 

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[DirtyDigz 1,811]

If it is small arms ammunition not chambered in barrels then firefighter bunker gear should be adequate protection.

This should be required viewing for firefighters:

 

Sporting Ammunition and the Fire Fighter: What Happens When Ammo Burns? - SAAMI

 

https://youtu.be/3SlOXowwC4c

 

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

An office building? The neighboring structures are probably swiss cheese. I hope they evacuated the area.

 

Wrong.

[PeteF 1,044]

100k rounds?

 

Oh the humanity.

[CageFighter 236]

100k rounds?

 

Oh the humanity.

 

100k rounds, that's just a start.

[Schrödinger's cat 87]

Ouch that must hurt. I hope he gets the money to restock easily.

[345Sire 158]

Bullets don't travel far or with much energy when they aren't contained by a chamber and barrel.  They pop and go about 3-6 feet in my experience.

You got that right.

It's simple physics. The bullet goes one way, the casing goes the other if given half a chance. Equal and opposite reactions.

[JonF 79]

Looks like Blake Domaraki's place. I think he sells ammo as a side gig.

[T Bill 649]

If true, he cannot catch a break,  Lost a bunch to SS Sandy, too!!

[Lambo2936 297]

That sucks.

Also, now that i think about it that makes sense. Still wouldnt want to be near it, but youre right the casings would just fly everywhere.

I should go collect the brass.. i feel for that guy... fire, flood, and break ins are the 3 things i hate most. Very shitty feeling pulling up to a property and seeing a jacked up gate.

[Lambo2936 297]

Just to be clear though, might not be THAT much in damages if its mostly .22. I wonder what hes got in there.

[Purple Patrick 638]

Looks like Blake Domaraki's place. I think he sells ammo as a side gig.

Ouch that sucks. He's a good guy

 

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[Purple Patrick 638]

This article confirms it was Blake

 

http://www.app.com/story/news/local/emergencies/2016/08/04/office-fire-ignites-ammunition/88061356/

 

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[W2MC 1,699]

I was a firefighter for about 30 years.  I never worried much about loose ammo cooking-off.  What I DID worry about was someone leaving a loaded/chambered firearm lying about...THAT cooking-off could be....um....not good.  Generally speaking, if I found a firearm, I opened the action and passed it down or left it somewhere obvious for later collection by the PD or homeowner.

 

As for the "simple physics" - its not the bullet that can go flying - its the cartridge case that usually flies, because the bullet is much heavier (remember conservation of momentum?), and since the round doesn't have anything constraining it (like a chamber and a barrel) it doesn't gain much speed or go far.

 

I did read (in one of the firefighting publications) that a bunch of cartridges that were stored in a cloth bandolier and caught in a fire were able to get up a little speed when they cooked-off; it seems the the cloth loops formed a "chamber" and shot the bullets.  No one was hurt in that fire; however.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Looks like Blake Domaraki's place. I think he sells ammo as a side gig.

 

Oh yeah? That's the guy I see selling cases on the facebook groups all the time...

 

Sure hope his insurance is up to snuff.

[345Sire 158]

I was a firefighter for about 30 years.  I never worried much about loose ammo cooking-off.  What I DID worry about was someone leaving a loaded/chambered firearm lying about...THAT cooking-off could be....um....not good.  Generally speaking, if I found a firearm, I opened the action and passed it down or left it somewhere obvious for later collection by the PD or homeowner.

 

As for the "simple physics" - its not the bullet that can go flying - its the cartridge case that usually flies, because the bullet is much heavier (remember conservation of momentum?), and since the round doesn't have anything constraining it (like a chamber and a barrel) it doesn't gain much speed or go far.

 

I did read (in one of the firefighting publications) that a bunch of cartridges that were stored in a cloth bandolier and caught in a fire were able to get up a little speed when they cooked-off; it seems the the cloth loops formed a "chamber" and shot the bullets.  No one was hurt in that fire; however.

I don't THINK the difference between the two is significant enough to cause a real issue, tho you are totally correct on your point here.

 

The bandolier story raises my skeptical eyebrow, however I will give you the benefit of the doubt in respect for your prior service to us in the fire fighting field. And I thank you for it.

[mikeyjones 88]

You got that right.

It's simple physics. The bullet goes one way, the casing goes the other if given half a chance. Equal and opposite reactions.

I've had one go off in a vice, still didn't travel far. Pretty hot 223 load too. Made a hell of a noise though.

 

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[Lambo2936 297]

I've had one go off in a vice, still didn't travel far. Pretty hot 223 load too. Made a hell of a noise though.

 

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Remind me not to stand too close when you're doing your thing. LOL

[MidwestPX 172]

I've had one go off in a vice, still didn't travel far. Pretty hot 223 load too. Made a hell of a noise though.

 

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I wanna hear this story!

[fishnut 2,358]

I shot allot of shotgun shells with air rifles when I was a kid. The shot barely took the paint off some plywood.

 

Disclaimer- I'm grown up now and know better. It's a bad idea to set off shotgun shells with air rifles. I'm not really sure how I survived my chialdhood with only broken bones.

[1LtCAP 4,262]

holy shit! blake....i'm sorry to hear this man. if there's anything i can do, hit me up..........

[fishnut 2,358]

Dident catch the post that it was Blake's place. Sorry to hear! Hopefully everyone is ok

[345Sire 158]

I've had one go off in a vice, still didn't travel far. Pretty hot 223 load too. Made a hell of a noise though.

 

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I can understand that, it still needs to have the powder push it hard in the direction it 's headed, which is what the barrel does.

 

223 has a bunch of powder in it, course it'll be noisy, yeah. Wake up the cat fer sure.

 

Looking forward to WHY you set off a round in a vise, oughta be a good story there!

[mikeyjones 88]

I can understand that, it still needs to have the powder push it hard in the direction it 's headed, which is what the barrel does.

 

223 has a bunch of powder in it, course it'll be noisy, yeah. Wake up the cat fer sure.

 

Looking forward to WHY you set off a round in a vise, oughta be a good story there!

Not really that exciting. Just a bunch of stupid stuff when I was younger. Playing with my grandpa's reloading equipment before I ever knew what I was doing, got a live round stuck in a sizing die. So I figured only way to unstick it would be to knock it out with a dowel.

 

I will say that it takes A LOT of banging to get that primer to go off. But it was LOUD.

 

Definitely a lesson learned.

 

 

 

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[345Sire 158]

Not really that exciting. Just a bunch of stupid stuff when I was younger. Playing with my grandpa's reloading equipment before I ever knew what I was doing, got a live round stuck in a sizing die. So I figured only way to unstick it would be to knock it out with a dowel.

 

I will say that it takes A LOT of banging to get that primer to go off. But it was LOUD.

 

Definitely a lesson learned.

 

 

 

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Glad you're alive to tell the tales.