Thu, Sep 25, 2008
Mishap Near BTV Results In Significant Damage
Somebody screwed up big time near Burlington International
Airport (BTV) in Vermont... and as a result, at least five planes
were damaged from hundreds of rocks accidentally blasted in the
airport's direction from a nearby rock quarry Wednesday
morning.
The Burlington Free Press reports Maine Drilling and Blasting, a
subcontractor for S.D. Ireland Companies, set off the explosive
blast at around 11 am.
The blast was supposed to be aimed away from nearby
populated areas... but instead, chunks of rock -- some reportedly
as big as microwaves ovens -- were sent into the sky over the
airport, and a nearby technical college.
"It’s a big deal. There’s a lot of damage," said
South Burlington Police Sgt. Dan Brunelle.
Officials estimate damage from the rock fallout will amount to
several hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition to the
flattened aircraft, the rocks also damaged property, and a number
of vehicles.
Jacob Kilpeck told the paper he was outside the Burlington
Technical Center for an Aviation Technology program class when the
blast went off... and he and others had to run into a nearby
building to escape the falling debris. When things settled and
Kilpeck once more ventured outside, he found a large rock had
impacted the hood of his sport-utility vehicle.
Brunelle told the Free Press the companies handling the quarry
blast voluntarily shut it down after the mishap... albeit a little
late. Officials with the airport, as well as the local gas and
power company, spent the rest of the afternoon assessing the
damage.
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