Demolition crews responsible for the destruction of Building 82 left some unexploded ordnance behind after they imploded the building on March 28.
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Demolition crews responsible for the destruction of Building 82 left some unexploded ordnance behind after they imploded the building on March 28.
The South Charleston landmark, the former headquarters for Union Carbide, was blown up in a public ceremony to pave the way for development by the University of Charleston.
However, Sgt. Keith Vititoe, head of the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department bomb squad, said firefighters and other emergency responders on a training exercise immediately following the destruction of the building found unexploded charges inside.
Vititoe said firefighters found the first explosives at about 1 p.m. The implosion was held at about 9 a.m.
"As they were going through the rubble, they found two unexploded charges," Vititoe said. He said bomb crews were called in to remove the charges but, as they were searching the wreckage of the building, they found several more.
In all, Vititoe said, bomb crews found 10 explosive charges that didn't go off when the building was blown up. He wasn't sure why.
"We just know they did not explode," Vititoe said.
"We don't normally make it a practice to leave explosives in public locations," he said, so bomb crews removed all the charges from the building.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens said city police and fire officials told him about the unexploded charges almost immediately after they were discovered. He said city officials did not expect to take any action against Cincinnati, Ohio-based O'Rourke Wrecking, which was in charge of the demolition project.
"They didn't do anything intentionally wrong," Mullens said Thursday. "It was just a mishap."
Officials for the state Fire Marshal's Office also were on the scene of the implosion and were aware of the unexploded charges. Vititoe said he did not expect that any charges would be filed against officials for O'Rourke.
"They had a few misfires," Vititoe said, "and that was it."
Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Demolition crews responsible for the destruction of Building 82 left some unexploded ordnance behind after they imploded the building on March 28.
The South Charleston landmark, the former headquarters for Union Carbide, was blown up in a public ceremony to pave the way for development by the University of Charleston.
However, Sgt. Keith Vititoe, head of the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department bomb squad, said firefighters and other emergency responders on a training exercise immediately following the destruction of the building found unexploded charges inside.
Vititoe said firefighters found the first explosives at about 1 p.m. The implosion was held at about 9 a.m.
"As they were going through the rubble, they found two unexploded charges," Vititoe said. He said bomb crews were called in to remove the charges but, as they were searching the wreckage of the building, they found several more.
In all, Vititoe said, bomb crews found 10 explosive charges that didn't go off when the building was blown up. He wasn't sure why.
"We just know they did not explode," Vititoe said.
"We don't normally make it a practice to leave explosives in public locations," he said, so bomb crews removed all the charges from the building.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens said city police and fire officials told him about the unexploded charges almost immediately after they were discovered. He said city officials did not expect to take any action against Cincinnati, Ohio-based O'Rourke Wrecking, which was in charge of the demolition project.
"They didn't do anything intentionally wrong," Mullens said Thursday. "It was just a mishap."
Officials for the state Fire Marshal's Office also were on the scene of the implosion and were aware of the unexploded charges. Vititoe said he did not expect that any charges would be filed against officials for O'Rourke.
"They had a few misfires," Vititoe said, "and that was it."
Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.
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I'm sure this isn't that unusual in that kind of work. The way the paper did the headline makes it sound worse than it was.
If explosives were found days later. Yes it was a problem. Sounds to me they half way expected something and by having law enforcement do the search it was a win-win for all involved.
Hands-on training for the officers and safe work site for the company.