Two dead in explosion at Mojave (Calif.) Airport

[Newsjock]

Source: Tehachapi News

Replaces story to include new reports of fatalities.

Two are confirmed dead following a nitrous oxide "flash explosion" that occurred at Mojave Airport at approximately 2:30 p.m., according to airport security officials. Four others have been flown to Kern Medical Center and treated for chemical exposure and other unspecified injuries. Their condition is unknown and no identities have been released at this time.

The explosion occurred at a sublet testing facility on the airport property.


Read more: http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/ViewPost/26187

[C_U_L8R]

1. self delete

[sfwriter]

2. Awww crap....

There are few enough people doing this to go around blowing them up.

[Eugene]

3. Three killed in blast at rocket site in Calif

Source: Reuters

Three killed in blast at rocket site in Calif
Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:34AM EDT

by Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Three people were killed and three
others critically injured on Thursday in an explosion at the
California rocket-testing facilities operated by famed
commercial spaceflight pioneer Burt Rutan, authorities said.

The blast occurred at the Mojave Air and Space Port, where
Scaled Composites, the company formed by Rutan, was
testing a rocket motor, Kern County Fire spokesman Tony
Diffenbaugh said.

He said two people were killed instantly in the explosion at
2:34 p.m. PDT (2134 GMT) and four others were rushed to a
local hospital. One of those died following surgery, according
to the Los Angeles Times. The sprawling, 3,300-acre (1,335-
hectare) airfield complex was immediately shut down.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2625793820070727

[krispos42]

4. Update: now three killed

A third person died Friday from an explosion at a rocket test pad operated by a private company in California's southern Mojave Desert, according to the nursing supervisor at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield.

The explosion, which occurred Thursday at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California, initially killed two people and critically injured four others.

On Friday three people remained hospitalized -- two in critical condition, one in serious condition.

The six were employed by Scaled Composites, an aerospace development company founded 25 years ago by Burt Rutan, the aerospace engineer who designed the first plane to fly nonstop around the world without refueling.

<more>

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/27/spaceport.blast/index.html#cnnSTCText

Northrop-Grumman just bought Scaled Composites, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x32251