nosler bullets factory blew the F up

[bbhank]

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A preliminary investigation has determined that a rifle fired in an underground test tunnel at a bullet plant in Bend sparked a fire that set off a large explosion earlier this week.

Fire officials told KTVZ-TV on Saturday the rifle was being tested at Nosler Inc. by an employee in a concrete underground firing range used for ballistics testing.

A host of local, state and federal agencies wrapped up their investigation at the scene on Saturday and the building was released to the company.

Nosler officials also released a revised estimated value of $2.8 million for the building and $12.9 million for the contents on Saturday but said its insurance company was not ready to release a damage estimate.

No serious injuries were reported in the Wednesday fire and explosion.

 

[Volatile]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

Wow... that suuuucccks. I just found this article, which has a pic:
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100602/NEWS0107/6020407&nav_category=

 

[Chickeneye]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

oh wow. thats crazy. at least nobody was hurt. i wonder what the heck happened?

 

[Oddball Six]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chickeneye</div><div class="ubbcode-body">oh wow. thats crazy. at least nobody was hurt. i wonder what the heck happened? </div></div>

Reading some of the followup stories, it appears there was a storage room connected to the underground range about halfway down which somehow received a spark or charge from one of the shots.

Whatever materials were in the storage room ignited and started a fire.

The employees couldn't immediately get it put out and activated the alarm which evacuated the facility. They arent sure what exactly was stored in there yet or how it spread to other parts of the facility and ignited the secondary explosions. The investigation is still underway with Bend PD + BATFE.

 

[TrooperBrian]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

From Shooting Wire:

Officials: Rifle Shot Caused Nosler Explosion

Photo Courtesy KTVZ.COM/Evan Gonzales
Preliminary investigations by fire officials have ended with a rifle shot in an underground testing facility being cited as the cause for the fire and explosion that fire officials say caused an estimated $15 million-plus in damages to the Nosler manufacturing facility in Bend, Oregon.

Bend Deputy Fire Marshal Susie Lovisco told reporters Saturday the "initiating event was related to the testing of a rifle by an employee in the south tunnel". That tunnel is the concrete underground firing range used by the firm for ballistics testing. Lovisco says a "backdraft effect occurred" in the "oxygen-starved environment" of the tunnel, with the pressure blowing out the southeast corner of the building.

On-scene investigations by local, state and federal authorities ended Saturday when officials turned control of the building back over to the company.

Nosler's insurance company, Century Insurance, has declined to attach a dollar figure to the blast, saying the $2.8 million in damages to the structure and $12.9 million numbers for the contents were fire officials' estimates. Century says further investigations at this point will be conducted in their laboratories.

Nosler officials say Shipping and Receiving, Sales, Internet and Marketing staff will be back on the job today, along with "some" production staff.

 

[Nortex]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

That explains why .224 caliber BT's have flew of the shelf lately, I looked at most of the general online sources and all are sold out.

 

[SRT_Supply]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

Time to stock up on Nosler projectiles...

Sounds like they had an accumulation of powder residue downrange, and it finally caught fire and went up. Let's hope that the repairs go quickly and smoothly, and everything gets to running again soon.

 

[MZ5]

Re: nosler bullets factory blew the F up

It's extremely unfortunate. Yet still, it sounds like they need to sweep the place more often.