These in English;
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/120823_fatality_bomb_disposal
http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/120822_explosion
This translated from French using Google;
http://www.lavenir.net/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20120823_00195535
One of the victims of the explosion Wednesday morning on a military firing range in Helchteren died overnight, announced Thursday the defense.
"Warrant Johan Bosmans died at the military hospital in Neder-over-Heembeek of his injuries," said Defence.
Aged 47, Johan Bosmans worked since 1991 as a minesweeper in the DOVO Service (removal and destruction of explosive devices). He was married and the father of a young boy.
The Defence Minister Pieter De Crem, and the Chief of Defence, General Gerard Van Caelenberge aviator, presented to the family, and colleagues of knowledge DOVO their deepest condolences.
Seven military service clearance were injured in the explosion that occurred during the unloading of a typical military vehicle light Unimog.
After the explosion, firefighters Genk and emergency medical team went there. Two Sea King helicopters were also dispatched to the scene of the accident with a medical team on board.
Six injured were taken to the burn center in Neder-over-Heembeek, hospital Stuyvenberg Antwerp and Lige last. One of them, Johan Bosmans, died in the night from Wednesday to Thursday.
This translated from Dutch using Google;
http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Bi...airen-gewond-bij-explosie-in-Helchteren.dhtml
In Houthalen-Helchteren Seven injured in an explosion at a military firing range Pampa Range. Three victims are in danger. The study is in the hands of the Office of Hasselt.
The explosion occurred around 10.30 am, in the area of the air force to Sonnisstraat Helchteren. Pampa Range is part of the airforce base of Kleine-Brogel, where planes land exercises. On site there are practice bombs dropped by both Belgian aircraft and by NATO air forces.
According to the press service of Defense are all of the seven military bomb squad Dovo of quarters Meerdaal in Oud-Heverlee. The accident happened when the pyrotechnic munitions remnants of a military light truck type Unimog shrugged, and spontaneous combustion occurred.
The soldiers wore plain linen military attire. In performing these tasks that start to wear fire suits, because the risk of spontaneous combustion is very small
DOVO Corps Commander Luc Moerman
Spontaneous combustion
"This is a heavy blow to our service. The incident happened by spontaneous ignition of pyrotechnic waste. It rejected gunpowder was a Unimog truck picked up. The people were doing the powder to settle in the concrete tank, the fire trench in the open air, when suddenly the spontaneous combustion occurred. They were engaged in the initial combustion of the day, "said DOVO Corps Commander Luc Moerman.
Linen clothing
"It ignited happened so fast, in a split second, that you have little time to react. Three people behind the Unimog stood, have less radiant heat received and were lighter injuries. In others the heat was already greatly increased. The seven people were all so burns. It was not really a blast, "adds Luc Moerman. The soldiers wore plain linen military attire. "In carrying out these tasks that start to wear fire suits, because the risk of spontaneous combustion is very small. The weather today have no impact on a possible spontaneous combustion."
"Dovo here has a site where she several times a year their routine assignments, such as demining of practice ammunition and destroying pyrotechnic waste. This powder can come from such ejection seats on our aircraft or seized bullets or unexploded practice ammunition," said Paul Desair, commander of the air force base of Kleine-Brogel.
Help
"Four soldiers were badly burned,'' said Mayor Alain Yzermans (Socialist Party) of Houthalen-Helchteren shortly after the disaster. The seriously injured were transported including Seaking helicopters, and three of them are in mortal danger. Three other soldiers were minor injuries, and ambulances transported them under the guidance of the traffic police along the busy road Eindhoven-Hasselt. The victims to burn centers in Neder-over-Heembeek, the Stuyvenberg Hospital in Antwerp and Liege charged. Two of the seven injured Limburg, the five others Francophones.
Immediately after the explosion, the medical intervention plan Limburg (MIL) promulgated, making several emergency uitrukten to the scene of the explosion. Besides the fire of Genk were also four emergency medical teams and two helicopters deployed.
Extensive research
The parquet in Hasselt investigation into the accident. "People of the judicial lab locally, as well as members of the Federal Judicial Police of Hasselt and the service of the judicial police in military environment. The detectives are on-site engaged in extensive research,'' said the Hasselt substitute Attorney Kathleen Smeets Helchteren. The service being at work is involved in the investigation into the serious incident.
"On a monthly basis we waste incineration. I insist that this scrutinize, because since 2010 we have serious efforts to improve safety," said Moerman.
Not first incident
The explosion is the second serious incident in the area this year, after recently some 500 hectares of nature in flames after ammunition testing by a private company. "This incident is of a different order, because now people are specialized in the bomb squad who were involved with the discharge of pyrotechnic waste, rejected gunpowder," said Mayor Yzermans.
In the heavy fire had Yzermans already criticized the testing of ammunition by private companies. "We continue anyway opponent of aircraft noise. During the fire last time, Minister De Crem our aspirations included. We need this field, that nature is in question continue to dare," says Yzermans.
In the long history of the DOVO were already several slightly injured, seriously injured and even killed after accidentally triggering of explosives. A notorious example accident took place on February 24, 1937, when during a course on explosive agents in the military camp Brasschaat Polygon-seven deaths. Dozens of aspiring officers and some NCOs looked what a load of 20 kg of explosives detonated only when soldiers went close look why not explosive in the air flew the burning of the wick.
An accident is still fresh in the memory, is
the death of a DOVO soldier on a mission in Lebanon on September 3, 2009. An aide becomes the victim of a 'tragic ongeval'bij the manipulation of submunitions of Israeli origin.
