Hat-tip to Julie for forwarding me the link to this story from Australia's Northern Territory. Our Doofus award goes to those responsible for this rather shambolic situation.
A TERRITORY government body that prides itself on putting safety first was left red-faced when their attempts to destroy fireworks caused a large bushfire.
NT WorkSafe crews were trying to blow up out-of-date crackers and flares in an incinerator at the NT Government's explosive reserve at Hidden Valley yesterday when it all went horribly wrong.
... the incinerator lid blasted off during the exercise and sent a wayward cracker flying into the surrounding bushland, causing a fire that ripped through up to 40 hectares of scrub.
And, to make matters worse, undetonated explosives left in the bush during a recent police training exercise were exploding in the inferno, making the blaze spread even further and more quickly.
Police and Fire and Rescue rushed to the scene where a large plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky about 9.35am.
Firefighters battled the out-of-control fire for the next five hours.
. . .
But their job was made more difficult when officials from the Land Development Corporation locked gates around the blaze site in an attempt to keep prying media away.
This locked all personnel into the fire risk area that was well ablaze. Firefighters quickly ordered the officials to keep the gates unlocked for safety reasons while they had to fight the fire.
Mr Buckland said Fire and Rescue and NT Worksafe were in discussions to see if any changes needed to be made to their cracker disposal methods.
There's more at the link.
I hear you, Mr. Buckland. After the fire brigade found themselves locked in with a fire, with explosions going off all round them, I'm willing to bet they do, indeed, have changes to suggest! I might even guess that they're 'suggesting' them loudly, profanely, and with great vigor!
Peter
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