Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'Mythbusters' Blast Shakes Small Town (TV Show Explodes 500 Pounds Of Explosives)
theindychannel.com ^ | 03/26/09 | unknown

Posted on 03/26/2009 4:54:43 AM PDT by Abathar

YOLO COUNTY, Calif. -- A big explosion, in the name of science, scared a lot of people in a small California town.

It all began with a test from by the crew of the TV show Mythbusters, but their test produced a bigger bank than they expected.

"It was a boom that was just -- I had never heard anything like that before, it was really wired," Sherril Stephens told TV station KCRA.

The explosion was so big, Stephens said it knocked her off the couch and broke her front window. Nearly the entire town of Esparto, Calif., poured into the streets to see what had happened.

"Course all the neighbors ran out into the street. We didn't know what was going on," said Paul Williams, who heard the explosion.

Some people said they thought it was a plane crash, others, a house explosion. All they could see was smoke and dust rising into the sky about a mile from town.

"It felt like a house blew up, straight up," said Williams.

Residents later found out that the Discovery Channel show was trying to literally "knock the socks off" a mannequin with explosives. The 500 pounds of ammonium nitrate was bigger than they expected.

Chief Barry Burns, of Esparto Fire Department, had several firefighters on hand for the explosion. He said he made the decision not to notify anyone in town for safety sake.

"Mythbusters is supposed to be a really popular show. Everybody would have been out there. We would have had to cancel it because it would have been too dangerous," Burns said.

Stephens' window was replaced that same day, compliments of Mythbusters.

(Excerpt) Read more at theindychannel.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Local News; Science; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: mythbusters
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 last
To: WOBBLY BOB

Just get the rot-gut. ;-)


61 posted on 03/26/2009 12:12:16 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("If you know how not to pray, take Joseph as your master, and you will not go astray." - St. Teresa)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee

Nice bank shot via a little slope and a temp inversion !!

Been there did that !!


62 posted on 03/26/2009 4:02:27 PM PDT by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everyone you meet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Hatteras
It’s gotta be better than trying to catch a fart in a jar while laying in the bath tub

I missed that episode...

63 posted on 03/27/2009 12:22:45 PM PDT by womanvet (Darn it, I forgot my best tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Residents later found out that the Discovery Channel show was trying to literally "knock the socks off" a mannequin with explosives. The 500 pounds of ammonium nitrate was bigger than they expected.

64 posted on 03/27/2009 5:05:24 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

soon to be a related topic, I hope:

Blundering Afghan suicide bomber blows up 6 militants
Reuters
Posted on 03/26/2009 2:18:40 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2215590/posts


65 posted on 03/27/2009 5:15:22 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson