Smoke Grenade Exploded at Hell Survivors

Raion · 04-07-2008, 09:42 AM

So I read this on PBNation and decided to check it out. Apparently a man had a faulty smoke grenade and it exploded, sending him and a ref to the hospital. The ref was treated for minor injuries and the grenade owner is still in the hospital. They were flown via helicopter. Also the bomb squad came in to take care of the other one (I guess they had 4 of them.) Very sad cause this is the event I play most of my scenarios at and it's a wonderful field.

Full story via press:

Press & Argus - www.livingstondaily.com - Livingston, MI

Two men were transported via helicopter to the University of Michigan Medical Center Sunday morning after a 9 a.m. blast at the Pinckney area business Hell Survivors.

A 22-year-old Bingham Farms man and a 41-year-old Milan man were injured by flying shrapnel after a large smoke bomb misfired, causing a spray of plastic from the casing, some of which landed more than 100 yards away, police said.

According to Pinckney Police Department Sgt. William Cook, the men were testing the device outdoors for possible use in paintball competitions at the facility less than a mile north of Pinckney. A second similar unit was found at the scene and secured by fire and police officials, who called in Michigan State Police Bomb Squad personnel to dispose of it. The smoke bombs, which were believed to have been purchased over the Internet, appeared to be roughly 36 inches long and about the circumference of a coffee can.

According to Putnam Township Fire Chief Greg Amburgey, there was no larger risk to the public.

D-19 was closed for a brief time as firefighters prepared landing zones for Survival Flight helicopters.

Police did not immediately release the men's names.

Schmitti · 04-07-2008, 09:46 AM

Christ...36" Long and as big around as a coffee can?!?!?!? sounds like some kind of really strange military stuff. Not something I would have tried using at a game.

Hope these guys do ok.. but just goes to show that burning things and paintball do not go together (also evidenced by Fall Cstle 2006 and the damn Marine Grade orange smoke grenades)

E

Surestick · 04-07-2008, 10:08 AM

I wonder if they were home-made?

Schmitti · 04-07-2008, 10:13 AM

It's entirely possible... they were damn big... and i'm not sure hom many smokes out there use a plastic body as they generally are burning smokes. Heck if they were home made and it can be proven that they were not even close to being made correctly.. I'm sure the police/AG will trace these back to where they were purchased and get the maker/seller for manufacturing an explosive device and selling it across state lines... then if it was shipped with USPS I'm sure they will want in on the prosecution too.

E

CrazyBoy78 · 04-07-2008, 10:32 AM

There's also a fairly detailed thread over here on the UMS board. I'm also surprised at the size of the smoke cannister. Apparently, it's was purchased not homemade. Could've fooled me...

d4rksabre · 04-07-2008, 10:51 AM

It's made of Builders Tube. How is that NOT homemade?

I'm pretty sure the US Military isn't making explosives out of general construction materials.

Schmitti · 04-07-2008, 10:57 AM

no they are not.... that falls under the nomenclature of i e d .

Sounds definately like a buyer beware and prosecute the seller type situation.

E

GMEX · 04-07-2008, 01:18 PM

The guy who bought them was planning on using them at the Day of the Rangers game at HS. My bet is that they were some rather old marine/military/special effects smoke producer and they chemicals decided to react in funny ways when lit.

MrBig · 04-07-2008, 03:02 PM

I was there. I arrived just after it exploded and minutes before the police.

The smoke bombs were huge! Builders tube, like the cardboard tube that would come in the middle of a carpet role. The ends where shut with cardboard taped down with duct tape.

It was pretty messed up. I know that the ref replied on the HSI forum that he is ok with the exceptions of some minor cuts, but not sure of the other guy.

agentSmith · 04-07-2008, 03:11 PM

MrBig is close. It was a large long canister but the actual part inside was short(it didn't go end to end inside the tube)I could see into the tube through the end facing my truck. That was from looking at the unexploded one for quite awhile. Several of the refs and several of the team members of the person who bought the things were present when it turned from smoke to bomb after a short period of working right.

As I understand(can't vouch for this), the device was purchased from a regular company but was special ordered, I really don't know anymore than that.

Shaun the Head Ref and Field Manager at HS and a good friend of mine was closer to the detonation than either of the injured guys from what I understand and was spared at least physical injury.
This happened before play and I was caught in the roadblocks for the lifeflights to have clearance. I was caught and worrying, because a lifeflight is NEVER good news and TWO is a catastrophe. The injured Ref('Pariah' or 'Mars' to most, who often wears orange camo) was released later that day and posted to us that night on the Hell Survivors forum. He was hit in the face with a fragment but will recover his former... 'Glory?' I guess you'd call it

I'm extremely glad to hear he's doing well.

My best wishes are with the injured player. I have no updates on him yet.

Rob

04-07-2008, 09:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Raion Official PBN Translator Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,265	Smoke Grenade Exploded at Hell Survivors So I read this on PBNation and decided to check it out. Apparently a man had a faulty smoke grenade and it exploded, sending him and a ref to the hospital. The ref was treated for minor injuries and the grenade owner is still in the hospital. They were flown via helicopter. Also the bomb squad came in to take care of the other one (I guess they had 4 of them.) Very sad cause this is the event I play most of my scenarios at and it's a wonderful field. Full story via press: Press & Argus - www.livingstondaily.com - Livingston, MI Two men were transported via helicopter to the University of Michigan Medical Center Sunday morning after a 9 a.m. blast at the Pinckney area business Hell Survivors. A 22-year-old Bingham Farms man and a 41-year-old Milan man were injured by flying shrapnel after a large smoke bomb misfired, causing a spray of plastic from the casing, some of which landed more than 100 yards away, police said. According to Pinckney Police Department Sgt. William Cook, the men were testing the device outdoors for possible use in paintball competitions at the facility less than a mile north of Pinckney. A second similar unit was found at the scene and secured by fire and police officials, who called in Michigan State Police Bomb Squad personnel to dispose of it. The smoke bombs, which were believed to have been purchased over the Internet, appeared to be roughly 36 inches long and about the circumference of a coffee can. According to Putnam Township Fire Chief Greg Amburgey, there was no larger risk to the public. D-19 was closed for a brief time as firefighters prepared landing zones for Survival Flight helicopters. Police did not immediately release the men's names. __________________ WTB Dye Titanium back in cocker threads ! Also want a cocker boomstick back in cocker threads. FEEDBACK

04-07-2008, 10:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Surestick Seasoned Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Posts: 527	I wonder if they were home-made? __________________ Current markers: Automag powerfeed left. PGP w/some Palmer's love WDP Angel Speed 03 (bought for $100 & in need of some love (read: money I don't have) thrown it's way ) Sheridan Piranha LB PMI-III Spyder Victor-II "Now is no time to be making new enemies" - Voltaire (When asked on his deathbed by a priest to renounce the devil and turn to God.)

04-07-2008, 10:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
CrazyBoy78 www.tacobuilders.com Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mississauga, ON Posts: 1,833	There's also a fairly detailed thread over here on the UMS board. I'm also surprised at the size of the smoke cannister. Apparently, it's was purchased not homemade. Could've fooled me... __________________ Later........ Andry : ) Proud member of The Peacekeepers, UMSG JTF7, Rogue Cell #12 and CCABB My Feedback Stuff for Sale

04-07-2008, 01:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
GMEX Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 28	The guy who bought them was planning on using them at the Day of the Rangers game at HS. My bet is that they were some rather old marine/military/special effects smoke producer and they chemicals decided to react in funny ways when lit. __________________ "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it." /Gene Spafford _ 1992

04-07-2008, 03:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
MrBig MCB Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Lansing, MI Posts: 2,094	I was there. I arrived just after it exploded and minutes before the police. The smoke bombs were huge! Builders tube, like the cardboard tube that would come in the middle of a carpet role. The ends where shut with cardboard taped down with duct tape. It was pretty messed up. I know that the ref replied on the HSI forum that he is ok with the exceptions of some minor cuts, but not sure of the other guy. __________________ Over 100 Items For Sale Feedback

04-07-2008, 03:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
agentSmith Old Navy? No, Old Army! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 930	MrBig is close. It was a large long canister but the actual part inside was short(it didn't go end to end inside the tube)I could see into the tube through the end facing my truck. That was from looking at the unexploded one for quite awhile. Several of the refs and several of the team members of the person who bought the things were present when it turned from smoke to bomb after a short period of working right. As I understand(can't vouch for this), the device was purchased from a regular company but was special ordered, I really don't know anymore than that. Shaun the Head Ref and Field Manager at HS and a good friend of mine was closer to the detonation than either of the injured guys from what I understand and was spared at least physical injury. This happened before play and I was caught in the roadblocks for the lifeflights to have clearance. I was caught and worrying, because a lifeflight is NEVER good news and TWO is a catastrophe. The injured Ref('Pariah' or 'Mars' to most, who often wears orange camo) was released later that day and posted to us that night on the Hell Survivors forum. He was hit in the face with a fragment but will recover his former... 'Glory?' I guess you'd call it I'm extremely glad to hear he's doing well. My best wishes are with the injured player. I have no updates on him yet. Rob __________________ "Why did you shoot him in the back!?!?!?" "Well... His back was to me."