[CPEO-MEF] More on Bakersfield (CA) explosion

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

2 California children die while playing with artillery shell


By William M. Welch
USA TODAY
August 31, 2006

Frank Sendejo of Bakersfield, Calif., says he has had an old artillery 
shell for so long he can't remember where he got it.

That shell, he said Wednesday, ended up in the hands of children and 
exploded while they were playing on a street Tuesday. The blast killed 
two children and injured five others.

Bakersfield police Detective Greg Terry said investigators believe one 
of the victims, Andrew Etcheverry, 8, "was striking the object with 
something or striking it against a table" in a front yard when it 
detonated. Also killed in the blast was Jeni Klawitter, 7, police said.


...

For the entire article, see
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-08-30-calif-yard-blast_x.htm

[I was quoted at the end of the article, but the reported didn't include 
two important points that I made: 1) Most of the accidents involving 
unexploded ordnance or discarded military munitions are triggered by 
someone tampering with the weapons, often far (in time and place) from 
where it was left by the military; and 2) I made clear that I am not a 
"hands-on" expert on ordnance. - LS]

--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


_______________________________________________
Military mailing list
Military@list.cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org/mailman/listinfo/military