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LAX dry ice bottle bomb investigation leads to arrest of airport contractor Dicarlo Bennett

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LOS ANGELES An airport employee was arrested Tuesday in connection with dry ice explosions at Los Angeles International Airport. Dicarlo Bennett, a 28-year-old employee for the ground handling company Servisair, was taken into custody and charged with possessing and exploding a "destructive device near an aircraft," according to a statement from police. (www.cbsnews.com) More...

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PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 7
Somebody's going to jail. Disgruntled or not, setting off bombs at the airport (even if as a prank) is unacceptable.
sparkie624
sparkie624 4
LOL, I remember we use to put a little dry ice in a 2 LTR bottle and toss it into the stock room... LOL, watch them stock room guys jump... LOL, no one ever complained, and we just had fun with it... See a few tossed into the leads and foremans office as well... Really great when they are sleeping :) No one got hurt, no one complained,vand everyone laughed. I guess the real problem in this issue is wrong place at the wrong time...
Lunarstorm777
(v)e Same 2
Again, tougher generation that knew the difference between an honest to god BOMB and a little water bottle with some dry ice. In this day and age over reacting seems to be the status quo to everything... Oh well.

Sides, you've got more to worry about from the birds in the cockpit taking a nap in flight or a grease monkey leaving a lug wrench in the control cables. Those things actually have real adverse effects on aircraft lol.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 0
Wrong time and place.

In a passenger terminal that results in a full evacuation certainly qualifies. Not properly thought through.

Then to repeat with multiple bombs in the vicinity of an aircraft at a gate (the day after full evacuation of the terminal), is apparently so that the judge feels no guilt in throwing the book at this guy.

So not the same as a bit of horseplay that might go on in a maintenance hanger, between guys who work together. Makes for an awkward call to airport security. "I was sleeping on the job, and awoken by a loud sound, that seems to have been caused by this plastic bottle exploding and waking me up."
sparkie624
sparkie624 3
LOL, you are right about that... Still kind of hits my funny bone..
Doobs
Dee Lowry 2
Come on Sparkie...not appropiate or smart. Right now there are "2" Village Idiots in the pokie! How many more are out there?
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
I agree, but making CO2 explode just hits my funny bone. I also love potato canons.. They are great. Everything has it proper place however. I agree with you the guy used both inappropriate timing and location. I remember along time ago some of the guys used to shoot birds in the hangar with a 22...
AABABY
AABABY 1
Sparkie- How can a bomb scare at an airport be considered funny in any scenario?
The cops got called, the terminal was evacuated and flights were disrupted.
So please tell me how this is funny again.
you usually have a more restrained attitude with your comments.
AABABY
AABABY 1
No offense to you Sparkie, My remark was intended to remind EVERYONE that horseplay in a SECURE area is not something to be taken lightly.

Let him get away with it and the next moron might decide to put more than H2O and Co2 in the bottle. Marbles, rocks, bolts, maybe use a glass container.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
No offense taken... I personally feel his bigger problem should have been in a secure area with a badge that should have been turned in... For that he should get jail time... As for the Co2... Even though it gave a good scare to everyone who was already looking for the worst in people.

Looking at the definition of "Explosive Device" I found the following definiton "An explosive device is device that relies on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Explosive devices have applications as demolition devices and as weapons in the military." With that in mind, I am not sure that the Co2 would in any way shape or form be considered as a demolition device.... However, I can see and understand the fear factors...

Please be careful with your recipes and ideas... You may give someone some ideas. Just a note, I know a fellow that tried that with rocks.... Not enough energy to do anything... was a real dude. Not enough force following it. The guy wanted to see what kind of damage it would do, so they took a 2 foot by 2 foot box and set it off inside... Did not damage the box other thank making it slightly wet... We used a 2 LTR coke bottle.
AABABY
AABABY 1
You are right. No more recipes.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
I am not saying a Bomb Scare at the airport being funny... I agree they cho0se the wrong place and time... I just think one going off is fun and funny... Personally I choose away from the airport... Or at least in a controlled area where most people know what is going on and you are not going to cause mass panic.

We used to do that in the Hangar (overnight, no TSA Around... Just a group of bored mechanics after the work is done) looking for an unsuspecting sole... I would never do something like this in or at a terminal

Sometimes we have our weaknesses... I like to go out to the Rifle Range and shoot a 30-06 at Sealed Gallon Jugs of water... They make a good blast and display as well... But I choose the right place and time to have that kind of fun.
avihais
Martin Haisman 0
Yep wrong place wrong time and not in the maintenance hanger either. I prefer not to get bits of plastic in the aeroplane parts that I fly in. Do it at home if you must at least the only reprisal is getting lynched by your family or mates and premature explosion in you face. Really dumb thing to do at the airport and 28 years old should have known better.
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
Everyone that I have ever seen just splits down the seem with a big bang... No flying parts... But it is funny to watch... Safer than fireworks, and if done right is louder.
Doobs
Dee Lowry 1
And if I might add, Martin...there is NO "wrong place" or "wrong time" for this behavior. Unacceptable. There really isn't any right time or right place...IMO. Unbelievable.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
I have to disagree with you on that one... But just not at an airport terminal... These things are not going to hurt anyone, they just make noise... Some louder than others. Outside in an open field is a great place... But there is nothing like watching the face of someone sleeping when one goes off in close proximity... especially when they are not supposed to be sleeping... LOL
captainjman
Jason Feldman 1
Isn't it great when an overgrown home made firecracker can land you in Gitmo. PROGRESS !!!! YEAH!!!!

on another note - he was a dumb ass for doing this at an airport

on another note - are we still land of the free?
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
Land of the free is quickly going away, and many people are living in the land of stupidity.

LOL to mention a Home Made fire cracker, me and a friend (30 years ago) made a firecracker that we were scared to light... We finally put it into a tree trunk, with an EXTRA long fuse... Ran like you would not believe... When it went off, there was no sign of the tree trunk.... Amazing what we could get by with years ago, and now all the liberals having us to run scared... Now days a kid can't even have a BB Gun.... back when I was growing up, I never shot anyone's eye out, or damaged any property... But I sure had fun with it...
dingho
The terrorists have won. They wanted us to jump at the sight of our own shadows - and we're doing just that. We are no longer free to stage a prank as we once were. We cower and they are laughing.
Lunarstorm777
(v)e Same 2
Bingo. But on the bright side, the babies and ur-planes are all safe now, right?
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
You are exactly correct... And the news media sometimes I think is on the Terrorist side because they publish every little incident. If they didn't then it would not be as big of a deal.
kw77
katty wompus 1
The news media is on its own side and it's always about money. If it bleeds, it leads, forever.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
You'd have to be very close to a plastic bottle popping from dry ice, for there to be any bleeding.

The problem is wrong time and place. To set off an explosive device, even a small one, in the hyper-paranoid security area of an airport passenger terminal, is not too swift. In this case, that it may have been done by a disgruntled former employee highlights that that intent may have been to disrupt operations of the facility.

If that's the case, throw the book at him. There are more than enough legitimate disruptions to air travel like weather and mechanical failure. We don't need a disgruntled jerk to ruin people's trips unnecessarily.
NF2G
David Stark 1
I did hear the word "blast" in the report. Seems a bit exaggerated.
AABABY
AABABY 1
blast,
noun
1, a sudden and violent gust of wind
2, a loud, sudden sound or noise
AABABY
AABABY 1
Walt Kelly once said: "We have met the enemy, and he is us."
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
There is a lot of truth in that... We are running so scared that we are voluntarily giving away our rights because of 1 individual group. The Terrorist in a way have won by the fact that they have us watching every shadow.
Doobs
Dee Lowry 2
And not to mention that pandemic that's spreading across america called NCS. "No Common Sense"
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
Well you know "Common Sense" Died... You must have missed his obituary.

http://americatakeback.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/obituary-for-the-late-mr-common-sense/
Doobs
Dee Lowry 2
No Sparkie...I didn't miss the obituary...I'm still in the grieving process. Very sad.
gfredlun
I am pretty sure that dry ice in a 2 litre by definition is not a bomb or a destructive device of any kind. Next they will arrest you if you pop a paper bag behind someone. Get a sense of humour people.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
In California, dry ice bombs are considered bombs in the law and subject to a felony conviction, which may differ from your intuition. Bu since the incidents happened at LAX, California law governs, not your feelings. No offense.
jbermo
jbermo 1
If dry ice bombs are subject to a felony conviction, then half of the kids in my LA neighbourhood are eligible. Something is wrong here.
sparkie624
sparkie624 2
I don't think it is as much what as to where and bad timing.... Besides, the guy was fired, and then returned to a secure area with the badge he should have turned in and that is a felony.
Lunarstorm777
(v)e Same 0
Yeah, well, lets be honest here. Just about everything is the end of the world in California. Surprised they don't sell bananas with a warning label to stop people from potential potassium poisoning. After all, it would only take you eating 500 of them in 30 seconds to kill you lol. Sorry, I just think this whole mess is silly.
Neuroguy
Neuroguy 1
These dry ice bombs are NOT totally harmless. If a piece of sharpnel from the plastic bottle would fly into your eye, or lacerate the skin of an exposed body part, it wouldn't be too funny. But that's just the R.N. in me thinkin'.
Lunarstorm777
(v)e Same 1
LMAO, oh man that takes me back. Dry ice bars from RON aircraft and tons of left over mini Dasani water bottles.... Ahhh, if only we lived in the world of 50 years ago, we'd all get a good laugh about this, someone would get their butt chewed a bit, and we'd all move on.... Sad we live in this one. Its been going on for years at airports all over the planet folks, this is nothing new. To call one of these things a bomb is just a bit HYSTERICAL to say the least. Makes a loud bang, scares the crap out of anyone nearby, not gonna crash an ur-plane lol. Oh well, someone is getting fired in any event.
jbermo
jbermo 1
The sad story here is more about what a police state we have become. This poor, bored, minimum wage airplane cleaner has been arraigned at a bail amount ($1 million) larger than that of an armed rapist. His crime of filling 16oz water bottles with discarded frozen scraps of Co2 is little more than that of assault by water pistol. Can't airport police differentiate between those of real danger to society? . . . At most, this idiot should simply be fired and sent down the road. I sure feel much safer and protected in knowing that such a dumb bastard is wasting much needed space and resources in our overcrowded jails.

[This poster has been suspended.]

jbermo
jbermo 1
What an idiot you must be . . .ignite a dry ice bomb? just how would you do that? Obviously you have never played with dry ice.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
LOL, I was wondering the same... Dry ice that is N2 in reality. I wonder how many here know the best way to make one of these things... It is pretty easy.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
Actually dry ice is just solid CO2, which is the same stuff that comes dissolved into the soda pop, that originally filled the 20oz bottles used in the bombs, to give the soda pop it's fizz, bubbles and pop. It's fitting that CO2 creates the 'pop' in this case too.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
Oops.. You are correct... My bad... LOL, both are just as FLAMMABLE...
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
Sparkie you make me laugh so much!

Nitrogen is inert. It's most of the non-oxygen air we breath and most of the atmosphere.

CO2 is a colorless, odorless non-flammable gas.

Carbon dioxide is cold as a solid. Nitrogen is very cold as a liquid.

As a gas, they can be explosive under pressure (eg. in a pressurized gas tank). That's why people have to be careful with the tanks. If the the head gets broken off, the gas blasting out will make the tank a missile.

As far as CO2 in a plastic bottle. If you put a small cold piece of solid CO2, it'll make a lot of gas. Eventually, the pressure will built up enough to pop the plastic bottle. The same will happen if you violent shake a full bottle of soda pop, or drop it. The suddenly high pressure of CO2 will find a way out.

The solid CO2 just makes so much more gas, so more pressure and a louder pop.

Not the worst kind of explosive, actually very mild.

The problem is the location. Setting off any explosion anonymously at an airport is unwise.

PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
Now oxygen, that's very flammable. But we put tanks of it on every plane.

Oxygen is like women. You can't live without it, but don't set it off. Can be very explosive, when not handled with care.
sparkie624
sparkie624 1
LOL... "Oxygen is like women. You can't live without it, but don't set it off. Can be very explosive, when not handled with care." you are dead on the money with that one.

I remember QANTA's accidentally put N2 into all of their 747's a number of years ago... Luckily they did not find out the hard way and no one died... But all of there planes were grounded while getting new bottles... You cannot totally empty an O2 bottle and refill it. It has a process it has to go through first and you cannot do that on the plane.
AABABY
AABABY 1
Actually, Oxygen does not burn. But it supports the combustion of anything that will burn.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
That is correct. Actualy oxygen by itself is joy flammable. It just supports the combustion of other things like flammable airplane contents.

I saw an experiment that showed that low-pressure helium (in a balloon) and low pressure oxygen (in a balloon) did not ignite when a flame was applied to the balloon. The pressure of the balloon did explode when the flame burned a hole.

In contrast a balloon filled with hydrogen gas (aka rocket fuel) created a momentarily ball of fire when a flame was applied.

So even oxygen is not flammable, even while required for flame to burn.

CO2 and nitrogen are inert, so they're not flammable either. In fact, where they displace oxygen, could act as fire suppression.

The explosiveness of the CO2 in plastic bottles comes entirely from the high pressure. Either from adding dry ice (solid CO2) or from shaking the CO2 (soda pop) that's already in there.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 1
* Actualy oxygen by itself is NOT flammable.
PhotoFinish
PhotoFinish 0
Substantially similar to details in the squawk posted earlier today.
kwu20001
kev wu 0
Sorry
bassam
bassam 0
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

Employee arrested in LA airport dry ice bombs

Authorities have arrested a 28-year-old airport employee in connection with dry ice explosions at Los Angeles International Airport.

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/employee-arrested-in-la-airport-dry-ice-bombs
kwu20001
kev wu -1
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

New details in the Ice-Bomb Scare at LAX

Los Angeles police released new details Tuesday about several dry-ice bombs found at Los Angeles International Airport in recent days, and clarified that although one was found Monday night, it did not explode.

LAPD Deputy Chief Michael Downing, who oversees the counterterrorism unit, said a total of three bombs were found Sunday and Monday -- two in the aircraft area at Tom Bradley International terminal and one in an employee bathroom in Terminal 2.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-dry-ice-bomb-lax-20131015,0,3184766.story
awinn
Alan Winn -1
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

Investigations are underway into LAX dry ice bombs as three more are found

Investigations are underway into suspected dry ice bombs that exploded at Los Angeles Airport officials said. Three more dry ice bombs were found near a plane at the international terminal of Los Angeles International Airport late Monday Oct. 14, prompting a major search by airport police, the LAPD bomb squad and the FBI.

http://airguideonline.com/2013/10/15/investigations-are-underway-into-lax-dry-ice-bombs-as-three-more-are-found/
bjaygarber
bjaygarber 0
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

LAPD: LAX dry ice bomb suspect was playing a prank (Update)

Los Angeles police said on Wednesday that an employee accused of setting off dry ice bombs at LAX was motivated to perform a prank, not to commit an act of terror. But police also stress how serious they take the devices, which can be designed to cause serious harm or even kill someone.

http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/10/16/39838/lapd-lax-employee-arrested-on-suspicion-of-setting/

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