It was not an “earth-shattering kaboom,” but a loud bang Saturday night certainly caught the attention of a lot of Emporia citizens.
The sound happened after 8 pm and was heard from 10th and Weaver to South Commercial to the 2600 block of Monterey Drive in Emporia. Americus residents also reported hearing the blast.
Lyon County Deputy Dan Evans tells KVOE News deputies traced the sound to an unlisted address on Burlingame Road just north of Emporia. The landowners were legally using Tannerite, a so-called binary explosive used largely for target practice — as was the case with this incident. No injuries were reported. The amount of Tannerite used in Saturday night’s explosion is unclear.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, binary explosives like Tannerite use two separate components, an oxidizer and fuel. In Tannerite’s case, the oxidizer is a combination of aluminum nitrate and ammonium percholate, while the fuel is largely ammonium powder and titanium. The two components are inert until triggered, usually by high-velocity bullets.
When separated, the ATF does not regulate the sale of binary explosives such as Tannerite. When combined, the chemicals are subject to federal regulations for storage, manufacturing and transportation.
Reports of planned transformer implosions by Westar Energy at around the same time have not been confirmed by the utility, although a spokesperson Saturday night said that activity would be unlikely on a weekend evening.
