Five injured in rocket launcher repair accident at Bangkok army camp

[webfact]

Five Injured in Rocket Launcher Repair Accident at BKK Army Camp

B Khaosod English


The RPG that exploded during a repair effort at the headquarters of the Ordnance Corps in Bangkok, 9 Feb 2015.

BANGKOK — An explosion that wounded five soldiers inside an army barrack in Bangkok this morning was an "accident," a spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army confirmed.

The blast was heard from the headquarters of the Ordnance Corps in Bangkok's Bang Sue district at around 10 am today.

According to Col. Sirichan Nga-thong, the explosion occurred while soldiers were attempting to repair a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) inside a workshop building.

Four soldiers were slightly injured by the blast and one suffered a wound to the head, Col. Sirichan said.

"Let me stress that the accident took place inside a military installation. No outside person was affected," she told reporters, adding that all wounded victims are expected to leave hospital in two days.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1423470362


-- Khaosod English 2015-02-09

[jaltsc]

"No outside person was affected," she told reporters, adding that all wounded victims are expected to leave hospital in two days."

However, she failed to mention whether they would leave the hospital in a wheel chair or a body bag.

Also, the "accident" might have been prevented if the the power tools they were using to repair the rocket launcher were hooked up to a grounded outlet.

Edited February 9, 2015 by jaltsc

[halloween]

"What's wrong with it?"

"It didn't go off"

"Hit it with a hammer."

[FangFerang]

I have read about repairing the launcher many times in newspapers and periodicals, but I have never read about people attempting to repair the grenade itself.

Um, am I missing something? It misfired, and they wanted to repair it? Whoever got that duty must have fallen from grace.

Amazing Thailand...

[ib1b4]

I have read about repairing the launcher many times in newspapers and periodicals, but I have never read about people attempting to repair the grenade itself.

Um, am I missing something? It misfired, and they wanted to repair it? Whoever got that duty must have fallen from grace.

Amazing Thailand...

Well they must have fixed it! ,, It went off that time.

[WhizBang]

According to Col. Sirichan Nga-thong, the explosion occurred while soldiers were attempting to repair a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) inside a workshop building.

Seriously? They were attempting to repair a rocket propelled GRENADE? What sort of a brain dead moron does that?

If it's defective you dispose of it, you do NOT repair it.

Edited February 9, 2015 by WhizBang

[transam]

Fink lucky they don't have cruise missiles eh................

[JAG]

Should have put an old tyre around it before starting work!

[willyumiii]

According to Col. Sirichan Nga-thong, the explosion occurred while soldiers were attempting to repair a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) inside a workshop building.

Seriously? They were attempting to repair a rocket propelled GRENADE? What sort of a brain dead moron does that?

If it's defective you dispose of it, you do NOT repair it.

Just being frugal ..

They know the US will not supply more unless they hold an election!

[Commerce]

Should have put an old tyre around it before starting work!

Are you from Jo'burg?

[JetsetBkk]

Another contender for the Darwin Award.

[LivinLOS]

Explosion at a transformer in the Army Ordnance Department in Bangkok's Bang Sue district injured nine soldiers including one seriously wounded at about 11am.
/Bangkok Post

I guess they had to backtrack from the old staple "it was a electric transformer"..

[Reigntax]

When discharged from hospital, they will be promoted to the bullet proof vest testing department.

No inactive posts for these guys!

[RKASA]

Another contender for the Darwin Award.

Darwin never issued awards - it has always been a simple pass/fail test.

[Crazy chef 1]

Still struggling if I should laugh or feel petty with the poor guys....where else?

[surangw]

wouldn't the same logic ( even in thailand) prevail to remove the rocket first, kind of like repairing a micorwave oven with it still plugged in

[rakman]

Must have been just the fuse that exploded or there would be five dead casualties.

[Thongkorn]

was they wearing steel toe cap flip flops. Thai health and safety.

[Sviss Geez]

"No outside person was affected," she told reporters, adding that all wounded victims are expected to leave hospital in two days."

However, she failed to mention whether they would leave the hospital in a wheel chair or a body bag.

Also, the "accident" might have been prevented if the the power tools they were using to repair the rocket launcher were hooked up to a grounded outlet.

"However, she failed to mention whether they would leave the hospital in a wheel chair or a body bag."

Probably because neither are likely.

"Also, the "accident" might have been prevented if the the power tools they were using to repair the rocket launcher were hooked up to a grounded outlet."

What tools were they using to prompt you to say that and what makes you think that if power tools were being used non-grounded sockets were being utilised? It was an accident, not an "accident" according to the report

[berybert]

"No outside person was affected," she told reporters, adding that all wounded victims are expected to leave hospital in two days."

However, she failed to mention whether they would leave the hospital in a wheel chair or a body bag.

Also, the "accident" might have been prevented if the the power tools they were using to repair the rocket launcher were hooked up to a grounded outlet.

"However, she failed to mention whether they would leave the hospital in a wheel chair or a body bag."

Probably because neither are likely.

"Also, the "accident" might have been prevented if the the power tools they were using to repair the rocket launcher were hooked up to a grounded outlet."

What tools were they using to prompt you to say that and what makes you think that if power tools were being used non-grounded sockets were being utilised? It was an accident, not an "accident" according to the report

At the end of the day when all the casualties are ready to go home lets hope they get a cab Sviss Geez has used before and not one the police tried to use.

[alfalfa19]

Another contender for the Darwin Award.

no.

[oldsailor35]

The RTP will probably find that it was caused by "brake failure" as this causes just about everything else .

[noitom]

Thais "repairing" an unexploded RPG. Defies all logic.

[webfact]

5 personnel injured in accident
The Nation



Anti-tank rocket launcher 'popped' at Army Ordnance Dept in Bangkok; second maintenance accident in two years

BANGKOK: -- FIVE CIVILIAN personnel were injured yesterday in an accident at the Army's Ordnance Department in Kiakkai in Bangkok during routine maintenance and inspection of anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, a deputy Army spokesman said.

Colonel Sirijan Nga-thong said five ordnance personnel were injured and that no civilians or residents living nearby were affected.

Initial news reports said the explosion occurred with an electrical transformer and that nine people were injured.

Department commander Lt General Tharee Wuthiphanich, speaking to reporters at the scene, said the incident was not an explosion but a burst of pressure triggered during maintenance work on an RPG launcher. A part of the launcher had popped out and hit a person on the head causing a cut that required six stitches, while four others suffered ringing ears from the loud bang.

The five personnel were taken to hospital but suffered no serious injuries, he said.

It was the second such incident in recent years, following an explosion in April 2013 during maintenance of M-72 anti-tank rockets by staff at an infantry battalion located in the same compound resulted in a rocket exploding, which seriously injured two soldiers and slightly hurt six others.

Army spokesman Col Winthai Suvari later gave further details of injuries - one of the four men who suffered ringing in the ears also sustained a cut and required stitches to his body, while the three others sustained a hit from the pressure, causing them body discomfort.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan later said there were nine people injured, and that the incident was an accident. The department has been instructed to follow safety regulations, more strictly, as "accidents occur regularly".

The largest explosion at this compound took place on November 16, 1980, when 4,800 rockets went off, killing 38 people while wounding 350 others and causing heavy property damage from tremors and shockwaves over an area spread over a 3km radius.

Recent dramas

Other major explosions and incidents involving the Army's Ordnance Department:

October 25, 2001: A total of 29,370 items of unspecified explosive went off in a chain reaction during an operation at an armoury in Nakhon Ratchasima to dispose of bombs due to expire. Nine people were killed, 94 wounded and 8 remain unaccounted for.

January 25, 2012: Explosions occurred at an armoury in Nakhon Sawan, causing no casualties.

September 13, 2013: A chemical leak occurred at a storage facility located in Ayutthaya after heavy rain, which caused the foundation of one tank to collapse, resulting in the leak. No one was injured.

May 14, 2014: Two explosions occurred at an armoury in an ordnance department compound in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district, causing huge noise but no injuries. This depot was relocated to a remote area in Si Khiew district.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/5-personnel-injured-in-accident-30253743.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-10

[bassman]

My guess would be that just the booster charge which contains the fins on a PG-7 functioned (fin assembly shown in photo). This section is screwed onto the PG-7 prior to loading and contains the expelling charge that kicks the rocket out of the launcher prior to the PG's rocket motors kicking in. Could have well been jammed into launcher and was being forcibly removed (fins appear bent). Most likely the warhead with the high explosive charge was either not installed or previously removed, good on them. When dealing with ordnance accidents do happen, the major fault is why five people were involved, instead of one or two.

[klauskunkel]

I'm glad I didn't post anything before this clarifying article, I would feel stupid now if I had...

[jaywalker]

According to Col. Sirichan Nga-thong, the explosion occurred while soldiers were attempting to repair a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) inside a workshop building.

Seriously? They were attempting to repair a rocket propelled GRENADE? What sort of a brain dead moron does that?

If it's defective you dispose of it, you do NOT repair it.

Just being frugal ..

They know the US will not supply more unless they hold an election!

You've absolutely got that right.

They got me involved in working on 4 Army trucks that had been demolished in the 2010 (or was it 2011?) riots when the folks with purple shirts were protesting against the folks with oleander shirts over their different tastes in shirt fashion.

The trucks had been mobbed with hatchets and axes and clubs and knives - yes knives...They cut every wire they could find.

Happened in April as I recall.

They got the trucks back to an undisclosed location in NW BKK, called Pathum Thani with no hoods (bonnets) nor any covering over the various gaping openings where water could get in.

A 100 baht tarp would have been good.

They let them sit in the rain till November when the new fiscal budget got approved.

Now, even though the trucks were 20+ years old, to replace them at 3 million baht each would have been 12 million.

I thought they wanted new engines & transmissions & wiring harnesses......probably 800 thousand, maybe 1 million baht per truck.

I didn't get that across though. I just said "Sure! They can be repaired", thinking new factory parts would be installed.

They said "Great! Help us rebuild them!"

The engines and transmissions were 100% FULL of rain water. FAR AND AWAY more damage had been done by rain than by the oleander (or was it purple?)-shirted mob.

I got them running.

They lasted about 6 months.

They kept bugging me to remove the truck bodies from the frames....."WHY, oh WHY? I asked.

"To repair them"......"There's nothing wrong with the frame & we can fix the body right where it's at" I explained.

"But, how can we repair it if we don't take it apart?"

It reminded me of when I was adding a deck to the back of my house & my 3 year old kid would ask me why I cut that board "To make it fit".

Why do you want to make it fit?

So we can walk on it.

Why do we want to walk on it?

So we'll have someplace to stand. You're standing on it now.

Oh. Why are you nailing it? etc...

Edited February 10, 2015 by jaywalker