Mop Up Blasting Caps 2018

On the afternoon of March 21, five interagency engines were dispatched to a report of smoke with a tentative legal description. Upon arrival, the first engine encountered a 0.25-acre fire actively burning. This area in which the fire was burning is an old mine, with several other mines also located in the general vicinity. After an hour of mop-up had passed, a firefighter noticed some “odd” items lying in the black. Thinking that these items could possibly be old blasting caps, the firefighter immediately flagged-off the area. Dispatch and law enforcement were contacted and an appropriate response was initiated. When an Explosives Disposal Unit arrived on scene it was dark. Personnel from this unit determined that the items truly were old blasting caps. It was deemed that these items were too unstable to move. The decision was therefore made to detonate the caps in place on the fire by the explosives experts. All roads and access into the fire were blocked and secured while the charges were being prepared for detonation. The charges were then placed over the caps and a successful detonation occurred.

Mop Up, Engines, Initial Attack, RLS, Exposure