WW2 UXB kills 3 in Germany

[AKH]

Still a danger after more than 60 years:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10212890.stm

Being an Allied bomb, it will have been a 1000lber, rather than 500kg as reported.

[allaire]

*Cough 1 kilo = 2.2 pounds *cough

There also people still getting kill from mines that were emplaced and forgotten and/or not recovered.  Some of the mines have been in the ground 30 plus years.  UXO is a danger as long as the explosive is still viable.

[Saxman]

*Cough 1 kilo = 2.2 pounds *cough

There also people still getting kill from mines that were emplaced and forgotten and/or not recovered.  Some of the mines have been in the ground 30 plus years.  UXO is a danger as long as the explosive is still viable.

Regardless of the conversion, it's still more correct to refer to Allied ordinance by the weight in pounds, not by kg. Just like it's more accurate to refer to the Ma Deuce as 50cal rather than 12.7mm.

[allaire]

True but I'm easy enough to be able to accept the rest of the world's unit of measurement on our stuff.

[Chalenge]

They want to sue over this? Someone needs to tell them that some of our delay fuses were designed to detonate if tampered with.

[Blackwulf]

I didn't see anything in the article stating that anyone had plans to sue.
But if they do, I suppose we can just tell them to deduct it from the $1.7 trillion that WWII cost us, that we haven't gotten around to billing them yet.

[Babalonian]

I didn't see anything in the article stating that anyone had plans to sue.
But if they do, I suppose we can just tell them to deduct it from the $1.7 trillion that WWII cost us, that we haven't gotten around to billing them yet.

I doubt they'll be able to sue anyone but Germany until they get the numbers right, the allies never dropped a single 1,100 pound bomb on Europe. 

But seriously, this is a very tragic event in which 3 more inocent lives were ruined by a horrid war long passed. 

I do think it is rediculous to try and seek legal retribution on this and would hope that they instead focus on what to do when they find the next one.  As someone mentioned, the fuses are very old and likely extremely delicate in their current condition if they could still somehow function at all.  Also to consider is the stability of the high explosives after being entoombed that long, especialy if it's dynamite-based (aged nitro-glycerine based explosives can be a nightmare to handle if the stabilizer used in it degrades over time, best example of this is dynamite itself, it's nitro-soaked sawdust... once the sawdust starts to decompose you're left with mostly raw impact-sensitive nitro... the type of stuff that detonates if a feather drops on it at the right angle.)

[Serenity]

I didn't see anything in the article stating that anyone had plans to sue.
But if they do, I suppose we can just tell them to deduct it from the $1.7 trillion that WWII cost us, that we haven't gotten around to billing them yet.

I do think it is rediculous to try and seek legal retribution on this and would hope that they instead focus on what to do when they find the next one.  As someone mentioned, the fuses are very old and likely extremely delicate in their current condition if they could still somehow function at all.  Also to consider is the stability of the high explosives after being entoombed that long, especialy if it's dynamite-based (aged nitro-glycerine based explosives can be a nightmare to handle if the stabilizer used in it degrades over time, best example of this is dynamite itself, it's nitro-soaked sawdust... once the sawdust starts to decompose you're left with mostly raw impact-sensitive nitro... the type of stuff that detonates if a feather drops on it at the right angle.)

The article said the team leader (I don't know if they mean the lead sapper or the construction team leader) may face manslaughter charges for culpable negligence.

[Chalenge]

I didn't see anything in the article stating that anyone had plans to sue.
But if they do, I suppose we can just tell them to deduct it from the $1.7 trillion that WWII cost us, that we haven't gotten around to billing them yet.

I read the comments also... they were talking about the team leader (and parent company I think) like Serenity said.

[Getback]

I heard today that there are fields in France where they don't allow anyone. Just wasted acreage that looks yet like the moon.

[Babalonian]

The article said the team leader (I don't know if they mean the lead sapper or the construction team leader) may face manslaughter charges for culpable negligence.

He made a mistake likely, but as I said due to the nature of the material the team could of been standing next to the thing drinking a cup of coffee and having their pregame huddle to talk about their task ahead when a bird flew overhead and dropped an egg of it's own.  An investigation should be done and thoroughly, but to make accusations before such is done (in the business of diffusing high explosives that have been entombed for over 75 years) of suing someone who sacrificed their life and spent most of their career putting their life on the line in an extremely dangerous line of business to diffuse these deadly things is hideously inhuman and detached (some lawyers should just be thrown in jail for talking out of their receptacle geographically located closest to their wallets before thinking).

[humble]

Actually this article has a bit more detail...
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Second-World-War-mine-.6337195.jp 
  The bomb which went off in Goettingen was of a type containing a vial of acetone, which bursts on impact. The acetone is meant to trickle down and dissolve a celluloid disk that keeps back the cocked firing pin, which then ignites the TNT inside the mine.

Hans-Jürgen Weise, one of Germany's most experienced bomb disposal experts, retired two years ago after four decades spent making Germany's cities safe.

He warned in 2008 of the danger of rotting detonators. "The last few years we've found that the detonators we take out of such bombs are increasingly brittle.

"We had three extracted detonators go off with a 'pssssh' sound while they were being transported away. All it took was a bit of vibration.

"One day such bombs will be so sensitive that no-one will be able to handle them."

[Charge]

"They want to sue over this? Someone needs to tell them that some of our delay fuses were designed to detonate if tampered with."

"I suppose we can just tell them to deduct it from the $1.7 trillion that WWII cost us, that we haven't gotten around to billing them yet."

"I do think it is rediculous to try and seek legal retribution on this and would hope that they instead focus on what to do when they find the next one."

It's a nice skill to be able to write and puke the innards of mind on paper or display so eloquently for all world to admire, but the ability read/comprehend is not useless skill either...

-C+

[Serenity]

(some lawyers should just be thrown in jail for talking out of their receptacle geographically located closest to their wallets before thinking).

I couldn't agree more! I have had far too much experience with lawyers for someone my age (Long story, lets just say my parents played that game...) and honestly, in my mind, the profession has reached a point where it does more harm than good. I've had MANY people listen to my ability to debate and equivocate and tell me I should become a lawyer. My response is always "Naw, I would rather do something respectable with my life."