swervedriver Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 A man a couple of miles from me was killed last night by a "non-consumer" mortar shell. TV news said "he was hit in the groin and broke major arteries causing his death". No medical examiner report yet, no details other than "it was a mortar". I'll post if more details are released. This is the first firework related fatality in my area in 14 years, the tri-county population here is 3.7 million people. (The last one 14 years ago was a professional technician on a barge display accident). He left behind 2 kids, which sucks even more. When I first heard it was a mortar, I knew it was probably something involving a hit to the body, but the location of the hit and the resulting death disturbed me a bit. News article says "thigh" but more recent news says "groin", regardless, it did him in. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-new-year-d...0,4848335.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 What a shame. It sounds like it got his femoral artery. If he had been a few inches in either direction, the front of his thigh would have taken the hit, and it would be just another "funny lesson learned" about safety. Sometimes, all the stars are lined up the wrong way and stuff like this happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steps Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Poor bloke. In Australia some kid was badly injured by non consumer fireworks, I'm expecting an over blown media story making chemicals even harder to get. My condolences and respect go to the man's family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swervedriver Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Today's update- http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news...0,6030764.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Oh man, that's a shame. I believe there's a fair bit more to the story than what we're seeing at the moment, though. (And, as usual, I see that the media is tossing around incorrect verbs and adjectives again. Morons.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tentacles Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 What a shame - but nowhere does it explain how you get hit in the groin/leg with a shell coming out of a mortar? I can't imagine that this was anything but pure stupidity, dancing over the gun and an ember lit the lift or similar. There's simply no point in time when your lower body is OVER the business end of a LOADED mortar. Perhaps he was holding it up and doing a "LOOK AT MY JOHNSON" sort of thing, thinking he could fire the shell while he held it against his leg? The sharp bottom edge of a mortar could probably tear you up pretty good. "How can we prevent this?" Don't point a loaded mortar at your nuts! xetap: Where did you get the impression of a particular material for the mortar? I wonder if the article was changed since it's first inception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarezWally Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Poor bloke. In Australia some kid was badly injured by non consumer fireworks, I'm expecting an over blown media story making chemicals even harder to get. My condolences and respect go to the man's family. The kids found a dud with half a cm of fuse left and lit it with a lighter they found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richtee Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 The kids found a dud with half a cm of fuse left and lit it with a lighter they found.OMG. I have nightmares about that stuff. I have never lost a "dud". I don't have many, but I find them By God. I live in close proximity to an elementary school. Not that there's kids running everywhere, it's across a busy road, but one never knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyro55 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I do not understand how the mortar was legal for him to buy. A quote from the article:"The professional grade, mortar-type fireworks Turner was using are legal to buy, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said, but such explosives are meant to be operated by professionals." Today's update- http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news...0,6030764.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarezWally Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Were they those small 1" shells you folks can buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSidewinder Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Good question. "Professional Grade"??? To the media, everything over the size of a firecracker is a complete mystery to them, and they display their ignorance by the terms and adjectives they use. I suspect it was at least a 1-7/8" shell (the most common Class C aerial in the USA). I suppose it's possible he got hold of some B materials, although that would make what the Deputy said about "legal to possess" even less credible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyboy Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 What a shame - but nowhere does it explain how you get hit in the groin/leg with a shell coming out of a mortar? Might have been lighting a few at a time located in the yard, not really thinking about what he was doing (might have been tipsy of some champagne) and backed up so he was standing over one? I don't know what happened but it's a damn shame that those kids have lost their father forever due to something that is supposed to bring joy. Well bad luck can, might and will happen to everyone at some point or another I just hope it won't be so severe when it happens to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I suspect Andyboy is correct... and it bears repeating, alcohol and drugs + fireworks = bad. Even if it wasn't a factor. WW, in fireworks-legal states in the U.S. you can buy some potent little reloadable mortars, I want to say <3" but larger than 2". They are cheap and a lot of fun for the $$. The cannister varieties especially are impressive, and they have significant power for their size. I can easily see one of those slashing a femoral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 IIRC, in florida it\'s possible to get any legal fireworks (maybe class B, not sure) if you sign a form stating that you\'re using them for either scaring birds or mining. So it sounds like the story might be true(ish). I\'d imagine that some \"super C\" or \"baby B\" fireworks available, like Swede pointed out, could really mess someone up. It\'s quite possible that it was an accident, probably along the lines of what andyboy said. In any case, don\'t put your junk over a mortar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPinthemorning Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I'm almost certain that its illegal to get anything over three inches swede, but thats just from my travels and experiences... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I'm almost certain that its illegal to get anything over three inches swede, but thats just from my travels and experiences... I kind of suspected that. I've got one of those "Maximim Legal" cannister shells, and just looking at it makes me think 2.5" or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firetech Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 The story is very dissapointing and best wishes to his family and friends. This proves the "anything could happen" theory that we hear all the time. I've had experiences with commercial mortar tubes that come with "festival balls" constantly falling over after the shell is lifted. The tube could have fallen over prior to the lift, firing the shell on a horizontal trajectory-towards him.Be safe and stay green everyone. And remember, anything could happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts