Blame it on the Fourth of July

Here is a first for the APSB. This incident does not fall into plant safety. This incident is here to illustrate the force of an aluminium dust explosion. As well as to illustrate that making fireworks in your basement is hazardous. Here is the story:

Authorities are blaming an explosion that knocked a home in Indiana in the United States off of its foundation on a man's attempt to make fireworks in his basement.

Tuesday's early morning blast knocked the home off its foundation in two places and blew out the basement's concrete-block wall, but the homeowner and spouse were not injured.

Officials were told that the owner had ground aluminium into a fine dust to make fireworks and suspects that static electricity triggered the explosion, which started a small fire in the home's basement.

The home suffered major damage. The owner said there is damage in every room including the walls, floors, and roof. The owner said the explosion even cracked the foundation.

Local Volunteer Fire Chief stated that the house is no longer livable and thinks the owner was making fireworks for a large personal 4th of July display. 

The owner "builds pretty big fireworks the way it looks." Fire Chief said. "I've seen houses look like that but I've never experienced one like this from a firework."

In our industry aluminium dust and fines are a known hazard. In 2012 over 15 aluminium workers were killed in aluminium dust and fine explosions. 

Hopefully this story can be used in some way to educate plant workers of the hazards of aluminium fines and dust. If not maybe it can be used to educate amateur firework builders that their hobby is dangerous!

Please comment.