BYU student brewing rocket fuel in dorm kitchen causes massive ‘fireball’ explosion

[Kamaji]

BYU student brewing rocket fuel in dorm kitchen causes massive ‘fireball’ explosion

By Patrick Reilly
February 21, 2022

A Brigham Young University student was brewing homemade rocket fuel on a dormitory stove when the concoction suddenly exploded into a massive “fireball,” according to campus police.

The blast from the experiment-gone-wrong set off fire alarms and sprinklers at Heritage Halls around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, flooding parts of the building, BYU police said. Campus police and The Provo Fire Department responded to the scene.

“The flames from the explosion had engulfed the walls and ceiling around the stove and the intense heat tripped the fire sprinkler system. Firefighters quickly secured the scene and were able to put out the remnants from the fire,” police wrote in a statement.

Police said nobody was injured in the explosion, but 22 dorm residents were displaced due to the flooding. Cops said the building suffered “extensive damage.”

*  *  *

Source:  https://nypost.com/2022/02/21/brigham-young-university-student-brewing-rocket-fuel-causes-massive-explosion/

[Kamaji]

This story is a little strange because there is no real investigation going on as to why this person was brewing DIY rocket fuel in the first place.  One would have thought that this would have led to a major investigation for potential terror links.

[Elderberry]

He was very lucky.

There was a report, years ago, of another fool drying his concoction in the oven. Apparently he opened the oven and reached in to remove the pan. It detonated, severing off both hands at the wrists, blinding him and setting him and the entire kitchen on fire.

[mountaineer]

Police to BYU students: Don't make rocket fuel in your dorm
By Pat Reavy, KSL.com | Posted - Feb. 21, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

PROVO — BYU police are reminding students not to make rocket fuel at student housing.

The unusual warning was issued after emergency crews responded to a fire alarm at Heritage Halls at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.  ...

Thanks, Capt. Obvious. 

[DB]

This story is a little strange because there is no real investigation going on as to why this person was brewing DIY rocket fuel in the first place.  One would have thought that this would have led to a major investigation for potential terror links.

When I was a kid that wasn't a terribly uncommon thing to do. He was likely making solid rocket fuel to use in his own rocket. But you don't do it indoors...

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/cooking-saltpeter-sugar-rocket-fuel.306454/

[Wingnut]

When I was a kid that wasn't a terribly uncommon thing to do. He was likely making solid rocket fuel to use in his own rocket. But you don't do it indoors...

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/cooking-saltpeter-sugar-rocket-fuel.306454/

Yep.  I was big into Estes Rockets and we tried many times to make our own Solid Rocket engines.   Guess that makes me a terrorist.

[DB]

Yep.  I was big into Estes Rockets and we tried many times to make our own Solid Rocket engines.   Guess that makes me a terrorist.

And we still have most of our fingers...

[Kamaji]

Yep.  I was big into Estes Rockets and we tried many times to make our own Solid Rocket engines.   Guess that makes me a terrorist.

It would raise suspicions until you were able to adequately dispel those suspicions.

[Wingnut]

And we still have most of our fingers...

LOL!  so true.  We were dumb, but we were not stupid!  We cooked our stuff in an old trailer out in the woods...down by the creek incase we needed water.

[DB]

LOL!  so true.  We were dumb, but we were not stupid!  We cooked our stuff in an old trailer out in the woods...down by the creek incase we needed water.

Open cut field...

[DB]

It would raise suspicions until you were able to adequately dispel those suspicions.

Only by people who are too afraid to live. Fear and suspicion rules the day these days...

[Wingnut]

Open cut field...

Grass fire potential.

[DB]

Grass fire potential.

Cut.

[Free Vulcan]

Let's play some fireball!

[Kamaji]

Only by people who are too afraid to live. Fear and suspicion rules the day these days...

B*llshit.  Somebody cooking explosives - and rocket fuel is sufficiently active to count as an explosive - in their kitchen is suspicious, period.

[DB]

B*llshit.  Somebody cooking explosives - and rocket fuel is sufficiently active to count as an explosive - in their kitchen is suspicious, period.

You really have no idea what you are talking about.

[Kamaji]

You really have no idea what you are talking about.

/snicker

[berdie]

B*llshit.  Somebody cooking explosives - and rocket fuel is sufficiently active to count as an explosive - in their kitchen is suspicious, period.

There was a time when such an activity might have been chalked up to "college stunt" or as mentioned upthread...useful for some personal rocket.

In today's world, not so much. Times have changed...I would look at this person suspiciously.

[DB]

There was a time when such an activity might have been chalked up to "college stunt" or as mentioned upthread...useful for some personal rocket.

In today's world, not so much. Times have changed...I would look at this person suspiciously.

And is why we are raising boys that are afraid of their shadows with little experience in managing risk or anything else.

[Kamaji]

And is why we are raising boys that are afraid of their shadows with little experience in managing risk or anything else.

No it isn't. 

[mountaineer]

And is why we are raising boys that are afraid of their shadows with little experience in managing risk or anything else.

It's a bit of a jump between the ability to manage risk and blowing up your dorm room. Surely, there's a middle ground. (And don't call me Shirley).

[Wingnut]

B*llshit.  Somebody cooking explosives - and rocket fuel is sufficiently active to count as an explosive - in their kitchen is suspicious, period.

Homer Hickman would have never made it in todays world with your view.

[Kamaji]

Homer Hickman would have never made it in todays world with your view.

Nonsense.  He would have been asked to keep his experiments in the school labs, not in his parents' kitchen.

In your world, however, terrorists with homemade IEDs would never get caught.

[DB]

It's a bit of a jump between the ability to manage risk and blowing up your dorm room. Surely, there's a middle ground. (And don't call me Shirley).

Wasn't talking about blowing rooms up. Said upstream that it should have been done outside.

[DB]

Nonsense.  He would have been asked to keep his experiments in the school labs, not in his parents' kitchen.

In your world, however, terrorists with homemade IEDs would never get caught.

That is complete bullshit. So you are one of those that thinks people can only get an education and learn to critically think in a formal school environment.

Negative.