Accidents Involving Pyrotechnics

Among accidents involving pyrotechnics in the past, one with fireworks will be described here as an instructive example 5 4 .  

At 1 59 p.m. on August 14, an emergency call for an outbreak of a fire was made to the Hachinoe Fire Services Office. Two fire engines from the same branch office were promptly dispatched to the scene to fight the fire, and additional six engines were sent to the spot later. 

At 2 07 p.m. an ambulance arrived for relief, but, because of the large number of injured, three ambulances in total came to provide relief, first-aid, and transport to the hospital. 

The shop was engaged in the business of operating game machines and a lunchroom, and in selling stationery, miscellaneous goods, and toy fireworks as seasonal items. The arrangement of goods in the shop was reported as illustrated in Fig.2.3. 

The shop owners, who had suffered a nighttime robbery prior to the fireworks accident, had taken the countermeasures of both locking the back door and also putting iron bars on the door, as well as installing wooden bars on the side window. This was the major factor confining the students inside most of them had to escape through the window by breaking the wooden bars. 

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The high impact and electrostatic sensitivity of Magnesium/Teflon -based compositions have caused a number of accidents in the manufacturing industry. Table 18.6 gives an overview of accidents involving MTV-type pyrotechnic compositions (mainly MTV) in the United States in the time frame 1968-2011. 

The nature of the chemicals involved in high-powered flare compositions and the large amounts processed at one time and used in one flare candle create specific hazards, which have been assessed only after grievous experiences. Unfortunately, such experience is rarely shared, analyzed, and critically evaluated, but rather obscured by the pyrotechnic fraternity, a shining exception being the specifically applicable report of a fatal accident at a Naval installation. ... 

However, potassium chlorate has been involved in a number of serious accidents at fireworks manufacturing plants, and it must be treated with great care if it is used at all. Other oxidizers are strongly recommended over this material, if one can be found that will produce the desired pyrotechnic effect. 

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