05/15/09 Incredible Tank Battery Explosion from 200 yards away! Lamesa, TX

***Some cursing on video***

While shooting some ENG/stock footage last night of a tank battery fire near Lamesa, TX that was ignited by lightning, an explosion took place that sent a foot and half long, 4" diameter pipe valve from 200 yards away arcing directly into the front of my storm chase vehicle causing extensive damage.

This is closer than you EVER want to be to an explosion!

Firefighters from Lamesa and Andrews, TX fought to keep the fire down and the tanks cooled off for an hour before it finally exploded. Miraculously, all managed to escape without injury!

Video aired today on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, TWC

Video aired 10/22/09 on Discovery Channel: Destroyed in Seconds

Videographer:
David Drummond
http://daviddrummond.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• lamesa
• texas
• tank
• battery
• fire
• explosion
• andrews
• firefighters
• kcbd
• destroyed
• in
• seconds
• discovery
• channel

[nenblom]

What happened to the firefighters when that exploded? Especially the firefighter on the ladder?

[DrylineMedia]

Unbelievably, they were all ok! The arm in the air (not a ladder) is remote controlled and especially designed for the task you saw it doing there. So no one was on top.

[SippRider89]

What are the tanks filled with??

[DrylineMedia]

salt water and petroleum waste products

[musiman28]

Saw this on "Destroyed in Seconds" last week. Pretty cool DD.

[DrylineMedia]

I got the DVD copy from the production company this week and finally got to see it on that too.

[smoothvirus]

I would have been shopping for a new pair of boxer shorts the next morning if I'd been that close!

[rigsnet]

rofl @ the people who thought this was a cell battery explosion.

[TheMrBlinx]

It's interesting how the tank went straight up so fast that, for a split second, it left a tank-shaped slug of liquid that quickly collapsed.

[g00gly0eyes]

@smoothvirus Does that mean you've only got one pair then?

[alf0rrana]

Those firemen were either really lucky or really smart counting on wind's direction. I prefer the second option

[Redcom001]

HIT THE DECK!!!

[Renda1984]

:10 That.............is the most awesome thing i have ever seen in my entire fucking life..

[Xytos]

oh the humanity!!!

[Beowulf2700]

@nenblom

they shat themselves

[krayzeejojo]

@GBU431 It didn't. It's out in orbit somewhere lol

[JTGOB2]

Are the firefighters unconscious or just retarded?

I'm pretty sure a 30'-tall, 15,000-gallon tank rocketing 200' into the air 30' in front of your face is your cue to get the fuck out of Dodge.

[CivilianInRange]

wow the sound at 00:21 where your car gets hit... sound a bit like a missile strike. Whatever it was.. you can here it incomming. is there footage of the damage ?