Trailers of Ammo Blow in Kentucky

May 25, 2009
ATF agents are investigating.

CLERMONT COUNTY, Ky. --

A series of explosions and a fire in Clermont County Sunday night were triggered by several truckloads of ammunition, NewsChannel5 sister station WCPO-TV in Cincinnati reported.

Five fire departments and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are investigating the ammunition explosion and fire that happened at about 11 p.m. off US 50, near Owensville and Stonelick Township.

Firefighters had to bring tanker trucks to the rural road leading to four tractor-trailers that were filled with stored ammunition of various types, police said.

One fire official described the scene as "being like a war zone," with multiple blasts and exploding bullets ripping through the walls of the trucks.

More than 50,000 gallons of water were brought in, to bring the resulting ammo fire under control. Inside the trucks were 50 caliber bullets, tracers and black gun powder, police said.

Fire officials suspect this is the same batch of ammo that caused a fire in a commercial building in Newtown, Ky., last September.

One fire chief on the scene speculated that afternoon heat on Sunday may have helped ignite the black powder that was stored.

After the Newtown fire, ATF agents said the owner of the ammo did nothing wron, since he had proper permits for purchasing and storing the ammunition.

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