ARMY TANK WRECKED IN EXPLOSION AND FIRE

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 2, 12 June 1984, Page 1

ARMY TANK WRECKED IN EXPLOSION AND FIRE

An explosion wrecked an Army tank at Waiouru last Tuesday morning. The tank — an M41 — had been engaged on testing a new fire-control gunnery system during trials being conducted at the ATG's tank range in Waiouru. The new gunnery sight system was a combination computer controlled unit by Ferranti of the UK. and a laser unit produced by Kollmorgan of the US which can be used with existing New Zealand Army equipment. But neither of these systems was at fault nor did they cause the accident which happened at 9.30am.

The accident occurred when a freak fire broke out while the tank was being refuelled from jerry-cans at the range. When the fire took a firm hold the crew abandoned the vehicle and a second fire appliance was called out to extinguish the blaze. One fire appliance was already in attendance. But before they could bring the fire under control five rounds of high explosive 76mm (3 inch) ammunition detonated (both charge and propellant) and wrecked the interior of the tank ... including the new gunnery control system. The exterior armourplated shell of the tank was

not penetrated by the explosion and the fire was eventually contained within the burnt-out vehicle which is now a 'write-off.' "Fortunately no one was seriously injured," said Major David Roseveare, public relations officer for the ATG at Waiouru, "apart from some superficially singed eyebrows. We had a medic in attendance, as we always do at these trials, and no one had4o be admitted to hospital." A court of enquiry has been convened to establish the cause of the accident and the trials have been abandoned.