118:. and Albanian munitions experts were preparing to destroy stockpiles of obsolete ammunition. The methodical destruction of the old ammunition was supposed to occur with a series of small, controlled explosions. However, a chain of events led to the entire stockpile detonating simultaneously. Hundreds of houses were demolished within a few kilometres of the depot, while car windows on the Tirana-Durres highway were shattered by the main explosion, which involved more than 400 tonnes of propellant in containers. A large fire caused a series of smaller but powerful explosions that continued until 2 a.m. on Sunday. The explosions could be heard as far away as the
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the project. A fundamental design assumption made early in the design process rendered the basic machinery potentially lethal. Researchers and designers of the ammunition disposal kilns assumed the combustible compounds within the ammunition would burn away at 350 degrees
Celsius. Documents available from the
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Although existing technologies were employed and adapted for the operations in Gërdec, the techniques of ammunition disposal being used at the time were new technologies in this field. An error was made by engineers who designed the machinery as the demilitarization company and associates employed on
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verify that the combustible compounds within the ammunition being disposed of at Gërdec burned to give out a heat amounting to 4500 degrees
Celsius. Such an energy would, without further sufficient and adequately designed machine components, lead to vaporization and explosion of the machines used to
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As part of an investigation by the
Albanian General Prosecution Office, authorities issued arrest orders for Mihail Delijorgji (president of the Alb-Demil Company), Ylli Pinari (director of MEICO, a state-controlled enterprise managed by the Ministry of Defence and authorized under Albanian laws to
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Officially, Albanian authorities confirmed 26 deaths due to the explosions: Qemal Deliu, Kore Deliu, Liljana Deliu, Jetmir Deliu, Flavio Deliu (3 years old), Hysen Cani, Muhamet Hoxha, Besim Çanga, Roland Alla, Reshit Kruja, Mehmet Hazizi, Bukurie Cani, Arben Hasa, Zilie Kaca, Endri
Dvorani, Shefki
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Albanian officials reported the number of injured people at over 300. According to figures published by the Prime
Minister's office, 2,306 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the explosions. Of these, 318 houses were destroyed completely, 200 buildings were seriously damaged, and 188 buildings
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A special group of prosecutors and investigators from Tirana, along with experts from the
Albanian Ministry of Interior, the Tirana State Police, EOD specialists, military engineers and military police were reported to be investigating the case and collecting witness testimony. The investigation
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SAC was contracted in 2006 by the
Albanian Ministry of Defence for the deactivation of 100 million 7.62 mm bullets, 20 million 12.7 mm bullets, and 20 million 14.5 mm bullets. A second contract involved ammunition from 40 mm up to 152 mm.
157:, improper storage of the ammunition, employment of untrained workers without the proper technical knowledge on explosives, violation of the technical security rules in the area where the destruction of ammunition took place, and
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Cani, Zelije Leti, Ilirjan Malci, Shqipe Hasa, Azem
Hamolli, Nafije Laçi, Zylfije Ahmeti, Erison Durda (10 years old), Rajmonda Durda, Jetmir Ballazhi, and Resmie Kranja.
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The repacking/dismantling of ammunition at the dump was carried out by an
Albanian company that had been subcontracted by the Southern Ammunition Company Inc. (SAC) of
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On
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group was expected to publish the names of the officials involved in the tragedy by the beginning of April 2008. The US
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deal with the export and import of military goods), and Dritan Minxholi (an executive director with Alb-Demil).
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311:"5 vite nga tragjedia e Gërdecit, ja kronika shtetërore, ligjore, sociale | Agjencia e Lajmeve SOT NEWS"
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After signing the contract with the MoD, SAC subcontracted the work to Alb-Demil, an Albanian subcontractor.
242:(ATF) accepted a request from the Albanian General Prosecutors Office (GPO) to assist the investigation.
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of involvement in this case, died under mysterious circumstances on a rural road in southern Albania.
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Arms and the Dudes: How Three Stoners from Miami Beach Became the Most Unlikely Gunrunners in History
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Kulish, Nicholas, "After Munitions Explosion, Albanians Ask Why Danger Was Placed So Near",
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during the work such as lighting a cigarette or damaging a
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Delijorgji: Patrick Henry is responsible - 20.2.2012
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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
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376:"Europe | Albania minister quits over blast"
222:Memorial in Gërdec for the victims of the tragedy
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336:"Death toll from Albanian dump blast climbs"
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27:Munitions depot explosion in western Albania
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447:BBC News: In pictures: Albania explosions
214:Political consequences and investigation
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90:Scene of the accident in April 2008
126:, 170 km (110 mi) away.
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548:Military installations of Albania
178:dispose of the ammunition dumps.
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533:Man-made disasters in Albania
528:Political scandals in Albania
210:were less seriously damaged.
407:. 2008-04-11. Archived from
290:International Herald Tribune
259:2008 Chelopechene explosions
523:March 2008 events in Europe
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175:thermodynamic calculations
553:2008 disasters in Albania
513:2008 industrial disasters
149:Possible causes include:
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365:, April 19, 2008, p. 5.
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31:2008 Gërdec explosions
18:2008 Tirana explosions
461:. Simon and Schuster.
430:"Kosta Trebicka dies"
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201:Casualties and damage
188:Loris, South Carolina
135:international airport
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457:Lawson, Guy (2015).
405:Tirana.usembassy.gov
264:War Dogs (2016 film)
110:(14 kilometers from
484:41.4178°N 19.6311°E
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226:On March 17, 2008,
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169:state, and
167:US military
151:human error
122:capital of
502:Categories
475:19°37′52″E
472:41°25′04″N
415:2017-01-08
386:2017-01-08
346:2017-01-08
321:2017-01-08
315:Sot.com.al
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270:References
120:Macedonian
70:Casualties
182:Contracts
380:BBC News
253:See also
159:sabotage
56:Location
108:Albania
102:in the
75:26 dead
64:Albania
124:Skopje
112:Tirana
100:Gërdec
60:Gërdec
538:Vorë
173:and
155:fuse
104:Vorë
44:Time
36:Date
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