The Gimcrack Miscellany

Top Fiver: My Favourite Explosions

Posted on 06. Nov, 2007 by The Gimcracker in Science, Top Fivers

Actually, can I retract that? It’s really not appropriate to come up with any kind of favorites list when dealing with such topics as explosions, violence, war, etc.

That being said, let’s do 2 things:

• 1. Realize no one was hurt in most of these explosions
• 2. Pretend the ones that were are teh bad guyz

Hopefully if anyone’s offended they will think I live in England since I spelled ‘favorite’ with a ‘u’ in the title of this post. Realise that you must use colourful techniques like that if you want to retain your honour and manoeuvre to the top – memorise them, don’t criticise them. It’s a simple programme, there’s no arguement to that. Catalogue. Theatre. Draught. Pyjamas.

There, I think that’s a good enough defence. I hope you learnt something. Ok, cheque this out:

5. Transformer Substation Explosion

An error on this huge transformer’s 22kV side created a weld torch from hell that burned a hole in the transformers shell and spewed out about 2-300ltrs of burning mineral oil into the already devastated sub-station.

Ok, I stole that from the YouTube description. I have no idea what any of that means, but oh how I wish I did.

4. Fireworks Factory

I’ve seen countless video clips featuring fireworks factories going up like gigantic concrete bags of kettle korn, but this one is hands down my favorite. The guy does a great job keeping the camera on the action despite 2 tremendous explosions. I think the second one knocks him out of commission, but they give us the slo-mo right at the end so we can focus on the actual explosion before the shock wave hits the cameraman. Definitely watch this one to the end.

3. The Atlas Foundry Propane Tanker Explosion

8,000 gallon tanker truck.
Fire.
Need I say more?

2. Ammonium Perchlorate (Jet Fuel) Factory + Underground Gas Line

This is probably the best footage on the list, and it alllllllllmost made it to number one. This video was taken 5 miles away from a jet fuel factory that went up in flames. As if that’s not the most horrendous thing you could ever imagine, it also ruptured an underground gas line during the explosion. You can literally see the shock wave of the explosions expand out as a perfect circle into the desert around the plant.

If you look closely at exactly 45 seconds into the video, you can see the entire screen turn black to adjust for the brightness of the second explosion, which utterly melts a nearby marshmallow factory, yes pun intended. Don’t you hate when your marshmallow catches on fire?

1. 23 Kiloton Underwater Nuclear Explosion

That’s equivalent to 23,000 tons of TNT. I don’t know what that means either, but it’s the biggest explosion in this Top Fiver by a long shot. Of course, 23 kilotons pales in comparison to the Tzar Bomb built by the Russians. I believe it was 57 megatons. You heard me right, MEGAtons. Just watch the clip below and remember that you’re watching a 23 thousand ton bomb, and then think what a 57 million ton bomb could do. It didn’t make my list only because I judged the explosions based on the clarity of the video as much as I did the size/scope/destruction of the bomb itself.

The size of this bomb, which is put into perspective by the ships in the water next to it, as well as the great video quality, is what carried it to the number one spot on my top five favorite explosions. I wish someone had Krakatoa on tape.

Bonus

This video is actually what inspired me to do this post. I didn’t want to put this one on the list because it’s the only one that I do not know the details about, and it appears to have caused possible injury and/or death. I’m not sure if you can even watch it as an embedded video because I had to sign in and verify my age at YouTube to view it. If you’re having trouble with the embedded clip, head over to Digg and watch it.

It’s mind-boggling, I must say. It takes place in Iraq, so just remember tip #2 from the beginning of this post as you watch it.

Thus concludes the belated new edition of my Top Fiver series. Maybe I’ll do a Berating next. I promised myself I wouldn’t do a Colts post; it wouldn’t do anyone any good and I wouldn’t be able to say anything that Art hasn’t already covered.

Meh… whatever miscellany comes into this gimcracker’s head is what you’re gonna get.