Philippines: Dynamite explosion killed family

SULU, Philippines: Tuesday, Badjao fisherman and his two-year old child were killed after dynamite explosion.

  • Dynamite explosion happened inside their home in Hadji Panglima Tahil town in Sulu province.
  • Those who were killed were, Andes A. Abbilul, 30, his wife Murita, 28, and daughter Camela, 2.
  • Injured was Maselda Abbilul, 48, who was admitted at the Integrated Provincial Health Office.

According to the police, Andes was preparing dynamite that will be used for illegal fishing activities. The explosives accidentally went off inside their house. Dynamite Explosion has always been the major cause of accidents in illegal fishing.

Despite maritime and environmental laws prohibiting dynamite fishing, illegal fishing using explosives remains a widespread practice in Sulu province.

Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, using diatomaceous earth , or another adsorbent substance such as powdered shells or clay. Dynamites using organic materials as sorbents such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued. Dynamite was invented by the Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Germany, and patented in 1867.

Dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel and was the first safely manageable explosive stronger than black powder. Nobel obtained patents for his invention in England on May 7, 1867, in Sweden on October 19, 1867.[1] After its introduction, dynamite rapidly gained wide-scale use as a safe alternative to black powder and nitroglycerin. Nobel tightly controlled the patents, and unlicensed duplicating companies were quickly shut down. However, a few American businessmen got around the patent by using a slightly different formula.

Nobel originally sold dynamite as “Nobel’s Blasting Powder” but decided to change the name to dynamite, from the Ancient Greek word δύναμις dýnamis, meaning “power.”

An industrialist, engineer, and inventor, the Swedish Nobel built bridges and buildings in Stockholm. His construction work inspired him to research new methods of blasting rock. Today Dynamite is mainly used in the mining, quarrying, construction, and demolition industries. Dynamite is still the product of choice for trenching applications, and as a cost-effective alternative to cast boosters. Dynamite is occasionally used as an initiator or booster for AN and ANFO explosive charges.

Nitroglycerin by itself is a very strong explosive, but is extremely shock-sensitive (that is, physical shock can cause it to explode), and degrades over time to even more unstable forms, which makes it highly dangerous to transport or use. Dynamite combines nitroglycerine with adsorbents and stabilizers, rendering it safe to use, but retaining the powerful explosive properties of nitroglycerin. The most common composition of dynamite consists of three parts nitroglycerin, one part diatomaceous earth and a small admixture of sodium carbonate.IMAGE/flickr

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