Explosion in Grandview Missouri

[Pyro Paul]

http://fox4kc.com/2017/01/04/atf-continues-to-investigate-grandview-explosion-says-its-found-evidence-of-fireworks-manufacturing/

Anyone else hear about this?

[displayfireworks1]

Here is security camera footage from across the street. Ah yep, that sure is fireworks.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_HAcAe1VBs

[Pyro Paul]

There was a short blurp on our local news channel about this story and when I googled it to see if there was any more, I found that story along with a few other news articles/vids. ATF agent John Ham was quoted to say that they found containers of firework chemicals which is not illegal to possess but if he was manufacturing without a license that is against the law. The owner of the building was questioned but no charges have been filed. It is not yet a criminal investigation but I'm guessing their evidence of fireworks manufacturing is the containers of chemicals.

[displayfireworks1]

They may charge him with manufacturing fireworks without a license up to the preliminary hearing. Unless they have some history on this man or he was selling the fireworks. It would surprise me if they pursue the incident as manufacturing fireworks without license. Remember federal law says you can manufacture explosives for you own use. The real question is what triggered it, fireworks don't light themselves. I see from the time stamp on the video, it was a little past 7pm. We will have to follow this event to see where it goes.

[displayfireworks1]

Here are some before pictures from this explosion location i grabbed from Google Earth. As far as I can tell this guy is not ATF licensed and he does not appear to be a PGI member. Reports are he had a wooden stove burning at the location. I keep trying to find pictures of what was found at the site but can not find any. My guess is the ATF sealed the area off for safety.
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1810&stc=1
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1811&stc=1
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http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1812&stc=1
.Close to the highway I see
http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=1813&stc=1
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[displayfireworks1]

I saw a post on another thread that commented this was not fireworks related? I thought I read it was fireworks related. Can anyone update the findings on this?

[RalphieJ]

The article mentions fireworks and then mentions ammunition/ammo supplies, so which is it? I'm so confused :p

[displayfireworks1]

I received information from one of my confidential sources that this guy was a big gun enthusiast, they told me it highly unlikely he was into pyrotechnics. But when you looked at that first explosion in the above video , it sure looks like fireworks.
Note the ATF comment in the 5th paragraph down in this article I'll link in. He actually stated it very well, he can not say it is illegal to make explosives, because that would be incorrect, he instead approaches it a different way.
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http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article124513064.html
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It is a federal crime to store explosive devices after they are made, the spokesman said, but there are also licensing requirements at the federal, state and local levels.

[displayfireworks1]

One of my news report sources in the area just emailed me and said fireworks are suspect but they have not seen the final report. We will have to continue to monitor. To me this will only be an event if it is a firecracker operation. If he was just making regular display shells it just unfortunate and lucky no one was hurt except the dog.

[Kenny East]

If he was a gun nut... Could have been making some 37mm bird bangers... See them every time i go to a gun show... Bought one for $12... Had to investigate its construction... Cardboard tube... OSB end plugs... And a piece of visco barley glued into the OSB... Had a fair amount of powder but the construction was very sketchy... I will say, i have seen quite a few great firecrackers from Missouri...

[displayfireworks1]

There are two different types of those bird bangers now. They look and fire and cost about the same, only one has less powder. The good ones require an ATF license to purchase now. You may be seeing the non ATF ones at the gun shows. I am trying to get some of the non-regulated ones for experimentation because I believe they can easily be modified.

[countryboy7978]

I think people are selling their own home brew ones. Basically a firecracker with a timefuse. I think they are very dangerous

[Kenny East]

The guy wasn't at the show the other weekend, but there was a guy with kits for sale... I agree the one i got was very sketchy... Wouldn't shoot that thing... It was home made for sure... By some one who didn't have safety in mind...

[countryboy7978]

I've seen homemade fireworks that are much higher quality than imported items however firing what is essentially a quarter stick firecracker from a metal tube just inches from your (and bystanders) faces and hands is not smart. All it takes is a bubble in the glue on the timefuse or spoolette to allow fire from the propellant into the salute and missing fingers would be getting off lucky. I'll stick to fireworks for my Salutes. Even those Thunder Mugs make me nervous. I love big bangs but from paper and maybe styrene buts that's it.