Explosives Disposal—

Defective TNT Detonated As Safety Measure 

By Andrew Gorosko

During a routine inspection of items stored at the Connecticut Army National Guard’s military dog kennel on Wildlife Drive at Fairfield Hills on the morning of Friday, September 21, guardsmen found a defective, six-pound high explosives training kit.

Consequently, it was determined that the crystallized TNT in the kit needed to be disposed of as a safety measure.

Army explosives experts at Fort Drum, N.Y., decided that it would be safer to detonate the defective  TNT near the kennel than it would be to transport the unstable explosives about 70 miles for disposal at a military facility in East Lyme, explained Colonel John Whitford, a guard spokesman.

Col Whitford noted that high explosives are stored at the kennel in training kits that are used to give the shepherd-mix dogs that are housed there the ability to memorize the scents of such explosives for their work as military dogs. Finding such defective explosives is rare, he said, adding that periodic inspections are performed to detect such problems.

The colonel said that the guard contacted state police and town police, plus volunteer fire and volunteer ambulance staffers, to alert them of the explosives situation.

It was decided that two pits would be dug into the ground in a field northeast of the kennel. Equal amounts of explosives would be placed into each of the pits, after which the explosives would be detonated for disposal.

As a safety precaution, Newtown Hook & Ladder volunteer firefighters and the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps were dispatched to stand by at the scene at 12:11 pm. Also, four town police officers responded to the incident; state police responded.

Town police notified officials at the two schools in the general area — Reed Intermediate School and Newtown High School — that the detonations would occur.  

Before the blasts took place, police blocked any traffic from traveling to the area and also stopped walkers, hikers, and runners from traveling through the area near the detonations. Although the kennel is relatively isolated, there are farm roads and paths in its vicinity.

The intense, booming detonations occurred at about 4:15 and 4:45 pm, shooting plumes of sooty black smoke upward, which then drifted away in the wind. The explosions produced considerable shock waves which emanated from the blast points.

Col Whitford said this week there were no injuries in connection with the incident.

Town Fire Marshal Bill Halstead noted that although no problems were encountered in disposing of the TNT, the fire and ambulance crews stood by in the event that something went wrong and their assistance was needed.

Ray Corbo, who was the Hook & Ladder incident commander, said that the explosives disposal was well controlled and was performed as safely as possible.

The $2.5 million military kennel that opened in the spring of 2006 is used by the guard for its antiterrorism work.

The facility is enclosed by perimeters of tall chain-link fencing topped with barbed wire to keep the public out and also to keep the dogs enclosed within the complex.