Blast rips through Iranian bus near Damascus

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12-03-2009, 06:35 PM
BlackTerrel

Blast rips through Iranian bus near Damascus

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020206

Quote:

A blast has hit a bus in a crowded suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus, leaving several people killed and more injured.

The incident took place at around 9 am local time (0700 GMT) on Thursday when a bus carrying Iranian pilgrims exploded at a gas station near Damascus, Press TV correspondent reported.

Syria's Interior Minister Said Mohammad Sammour said three people were killed in the incident, which he said was not a terrorist attack but a tyre exploding as it was being repaired.

"Two workers who were repairing the tyre and the bus's driver, who was standing near them, were killed in the explosion," he told reporters at the scene of the incident.

I'm no mechanic... but I'm calling bullshit. When is the last time in the US someone was repairing a tire and three people died?
12-03-2009, 06:41 PM
klamath

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTerrel

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020206

I'm no mechanic... but I'm calling bullshit. When is the last time in the US someone was repairing a tire and three people died?

On large tires a lot of people have been severely hurt or killed. Changing tires on military vehicles are done in heavy steel cages because of the amount of soldiers that were killed or hurt. There is a huge amount of stored in energy in tires.
12-03-2009, 07:06 PM
dannno

Well one time a Goodyear Plant exploded and killed 1...injured 6...

http://www.williamskherkher.com/news...kills-one.aspx

But ya, seriously.. I guess this guy died from a heavy equipment tire exploding, so I dunno.

http://www.thetandd.com/articles/200...0442406568.txt
12-03-2009, 08:22 PM
BlackTerrel

Quote:

Originally Posted by klamath

On large tires a lot of people have been severely hurt or killed. Changing tires on military vehicles are done in heavy steel cages because of the amount of soldiers that were killed or hurt. There is a huge amount of stored in energy in tires.

Ok I didn't know that. Could a bus tire kill three people if it wasn't repaired correctly?
12-03-2009, 08:32 PM
Dieseler

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTerrel

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020206

I'm no mechanic... but I'm calling bullshit. When is the last time in the US someone was repairing a tire and three people died?

They have outlawed split rim wheels here but I know personally of people being maimed by them failing.
If an old split rim were to fail after being aired up it could kill 5 or 6 people lol.
Depends on how many folks you put in front of the damned thing I reckon.
Tires can be like cocked cannons.

Some jackass could have put a tire sealant in it also, never know, very flammable.
Always tell the attendant if you have used fix a flat in a tire needing repair..
I bet that's what it was.
12-03-2009, 08:38 PM
Dr.3D

Once when I was a kid, I saw an indentation in the shape of a ring in the ceiling of the garage at a truck stop. I asked the man who ran the place how that circle got in his ceiling. He told me he was filling a truck tire when the steal ring that holds the tire on the rim came off and as it passed by his head, it knocked his hat off and continued up, making that mark in the ceiling. He said it was all he could do to dodge the ring as it fell back to the floor.
12-03-2009, 08:41 PM
Dieseler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.3D

Once when I was a kid, I saw an indentation in the shape of a ring in the ceiling of the garage at a truck stop. I asked the man who ran the place how that circle got in his ceiling. He told me he was filling a truck tire when the steal ring that holds the tire on the rim came off and as it passed by his head, it knocked his hat off and continued up, making that mark in the ceiling. He said it was all he could do to dodge the ring as it fell back to the floor.

Split rim.
He didn't dodge it either lol, he just got lucky that only the brim of his hat was over it.
he prolly didn't even move until it hit the ceiling.
12-03-2009, 08:46 PM
Dr.3D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dieseler

Split rim.
He didn't dodge it either lol, he just got lucky that only the brim of his hat was over it.
he prolly didn't even move until it hit the ceiling.

I asked him if I could have the inner tube that was in one of the tires on an old junk truck out back and he agreed that if I could get it out of the tire, I could have it. It took me most of the afternoon to get the air out of the tire and pry off that nasty ring. I used a piece of old leaf spring to do it. I was rewarded in the end though and had a great tube for the lake. All I had to do was cut out the metal valve stem and patch that hole and then put a small rubber valve stem on one side of the tube. Imagine getting poked with that metal one that was around 2 to 3 inches long, it wouldn't be fun. LOL.....

I had a lot of fun with the huge inner tube.
12-03-2009, 09:05 PM
klamath

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTerrel

Ok I didn't know that. Could a bus tire kill three people if it wasn't repaired correctly?

If you have a large tire with 30 psi in it you are looking at nearly 50,000 lbs of pressure pressing against the sidewall. If that releases suddenly with any kind of projectile a lot of people can be killed or hurt.
12-03-2009, 09:10 PM
Dieseler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.3D

I asked him if I could have the inner tube that was in one of the tires on an old junk truck out back and he agreed that if I could get it out of the tire, I could have it. It took me most of the afternoon to get the air out of the tire and pry off that nasty ring. I used a piece of old leaf spring to do it. I was rewarded in the end though and had a great tube for the lake. All I had to do was cut out the metal valve stem and patch that hole and then put a small rubber valve stem on one side of the tube. Imagine getting poked with that metal one that was around 2 to 3 inches long, it wouldn't be fun. LOL.....

I had a lot of fun with the huge inner tube.

Haha we used to liberate those tubes from the dumpster of an old tire store when I was kid, they were the best ever. Patch em up and head for the river..
:D
12-03-2009, 10:15 PM
BlackTerrel

Quote:

Originally Posted by klamath

If you have a large tire with 30 psi in it you are looking at nearly 50,000 lbs of pressure pressing against the sidewall. If that releases suddenly with any kind of projectile a lot of people can be killed or hurt.

Interesting. How come I have never heard of someone dying from a tire explosion in the US? I imagine we have systems in place to prevent this... that they may not have in other countries?
12-04-2009, 12:21 AM
revolutionisnow

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackTerrel

Interesting. How come I have never heard of someone dying from a tire explosion in the US? I imagine we have systems in place to prevent this... that they may not have in other countries?

I'm sure it happens, but its not really a national news story.

http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI82889
12-04-2009, 04:54 PM
BlackTerrel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Being in Syria many times and hearing family stories I know that the regime is notorious for lying. Don't believe all of what they say... They once claimed that an explosion at a military base was caused by the suns heat, but the explosion happened at 4 in the morning. I'm sure this was an assassination attempt on some Iranian official.

Just because they lie sometimes doesn't mean they lie every time - that's what I'm trying to figure out. Obviously in the case you describe their explanation was highly unlikely. I'm trying to determine in this situation if what they are saying is plausible.
12-04-2009, 08:42 PM
pcosmar

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Being in Syria many times and hearing family stories I know that the regime is notorious for lying. Don't believe all of what they say... They once claimed that an explosion at a military base was caused by the suns heat, but the explosion happened at 4 in the morning. I'm sure this was an assassination attempt on some Iranian official.

That is an interesting take on it.
Who do you think would want to assassinate one of Syria's allies in Damascus?
12-05-2009, 04:42 AM
pcosmar

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

They said an Iranian official possibly a nuclear one was in Damascus, and some intelligence agency probably pounced on the idea, if Syria was to be seen as not having control and security of their country it would be devastating news for that regime.

Ah, so you think an enemy of Syria or Iran is trying to provoke a war? That is very likely.
There are a couple of agencies that are known to murder for political purposes.
The CIA and Mossad come to mind. It would fit with their previous actions, so it should not be ruled out.

Isn't murder for political purposes the very definition of terrorism?

btw, I learned to change tires in a tire store when split rims were in common use. It is a very dangerous process. I have also used ether to seat tubeless truck tires. They go on with a bang.
12-05-2009, 01:47 PM
Dieseler

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Can a tire really do this?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...0b9d970b-600wi

Hell naw.
That's a different thing altogether.
Are you sure that is a pic from the incident were talking about here?
Doesn't look like much of a bomb either though really.
I dunno.
It looks like the bus drove over an explosive or it was placed under the corner of the bus.
The tire on the visible side is still intact.
It's not a split rim wheel either.
12-05-2009, 01:47 PM
Old Ducker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Can a tire really do this?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...0b9d970b-600wi

Not a chance.
12-05-2009, 06:05 PM
tangent4ronpaul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Can a tire really do this?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...0b9d970b-600wi

No way. I'm surprised the bus isn't more scorched...

FAX charge maybe?

Well, wait that's the tail end that got scorched... - platter charge?

-t
12-05-2009, 06:19 PM
BlackTerrel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraham

Can a tire really do this?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...0b9d970b-600wi

Not bloody likely
12-05-2009, 07:11 PM
Dieseler

It was really hot whatever it was.
I know nothing of explosives can't really say but the structure of the bus held up pretty good.
Anyone sure that is the actual picture of the explosion in question?
12-05-2009, 09:05 PM
tangent4ronpaul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dieseler

It was really hot whatever it was.
I know nothing of explosives can't really say but the structure of the bus held up pretty good.
Anyone sure that is the actual picture of the explosion in question?

I'm leaning toward a horizontally fired platter charge w/ the gas tank being the primary payload - but I'm surprised the bus paint isn't more scorched. This was no tire inflation accident.... It's a hell of an effective way to incenerate a bus load of civilians...

-t
12-06-2009, 11:30 AM
pcosmar

Looking at that picture it looks like an engine compartment fire.

fuel tank would be under the belly of the bus. Hard to tell for sure without some more and closer views, but that looks like burn, not blast.
12-06-2009, 11:51 PM
RideTheDirt

http://i47.tinypic.com/1zxb13p.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/ipv3v6.jpg

So a "tire" did this?

VIDEO:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8392369.stm

Quote:

This is because images of the blast and several witnesses have suggested that it may have been more than just a tyre explosion.

Initial reports had suggested that a bomb may have caused the blast

Quote:

Our correspondent says witnesses saw parts of bodies scattered around but could not confirm to her whether the bus was full or empty when the blast occurred.

Witnesses and media reports had earlier said six people died.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtri...0939_12_04.asp

Quote:

Al Qaida seen tied to bus bombing; Syria, Iran issue conflicting reports
NICOSIA — Syria, in what could signal the resumption of Al Qaida-aligned attacks, was rocked by a bus bombing reported to have killed up to 12 Iranian pilgrims.

Quote:

The opposition said the bomb was so powerful that nearby buildings were heavily damaged.

Quote:

Reports of the attack differed widely. The regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad denied that any attack took place, saying three people were killed when a tire of an Iranian bus exploded.

"An investigation showed that no act of a terrorist nature was behind the explosion," Syrian Interior Minister Said Samour said.

But the Iranian state-controlled media said at least 12 of the casualties were Iranian pilgrims. The official Iranian news agency, Irna, said many other pilgrims were taken to a nearby hospital and security forces sealed the area.
12-07-2009, 06:19 PM
tangent4ronpaul

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcosmar

Looking at that picture it looks like an engine compartment fire.

fuel tank would be under the belly of the bus. Hard to tell for sure without some more and closer views, but that looks like burn, not blast.

Yes - it looks likr there was an engine fire. But what engine fire blows out sheet metal and windows? Horizontally fired might have been wrong - I've only heard of the technique. Maybe vertical would have been right... Actually doing such a thing would be morally abhorrent! What does a bus full of innocent civilians have to do with anything? Terrorism...

As to fuel tank location - well, depends on the bus... There are a lot of diff kinds.

-t
12-07-2009, 07:37 PM
catdd

CIA still hard at work, I see.
12-07-2009, 08:37 PM
tangent4ronpaul

Quote:

Originally Posted by catdd

CIA still hard at work, I see.

They have a problem with this kind of work - can't stomach it. Those they train are a diff story....

-t