Pyrotechnics are part of Rocket Science. The perp here is likely not.
“Here, hold my beer and watch this!”
metals weaken from the shock and awe...
this happens with all cannons, inspections are recommended and use only the recommended charge.
There, but for the grace of God ...
Some friends of mine had a cannon that blew up on us on the 4th. One of the rocket scientists decided since we were out of black powder to use smokeless. The largest chunk weighed about 5 lbs and we found it lodged in the dirt hill after it passed through a VW bus. There was a lot of damage to property, but it was absolutely a miricle that nobody was killed or injured.
I remember years ago reading how to make one out of plastic pipe and fired off with carbide. Never tried it.
Police identified the victim as Anthony Herman, 46. They said he was lighting a homemade cannon about 10:45 p.m. when it exploded. They believe a piece of metal shrapnel hit him in the chest. A neighbor said it appeared he had moved away from the cannon after lighting it.Sounds like a chunk of shrapnel got him in the heart.“We heard a loud explosion and then we heard sirens and stuff,” neighbor Dan Fitzgerald said.
Somebody else started CPR, believing Herman was suffering a cardiac arrest, before rescuers arrived. But Michigan State Police said he died at the scene.
Neighbors said Herman had been firing from steel cannons about a foot tall.
Alcohol and commercial grade explosives, what could possibly go wrong?.......
CC
ACME