examples of the effects of bomb blast on filmed windows and safety glazed partitions

© Grimbaldus Group 2009

Examples of the effects of bomb blast on filmed windows and safety glazed partitions

On the third floor of South Quay Plaza 2, Docklands, London, UK

A PIRA-planted VBIED detonated at 19:02 on 9 February 1996, comprising approximately ½ tonne of fertilised-based explosive laced with diesel oil and

packed into a lorry, initiated by a small amount of Semtex triggered by a simple analogue timing device

22-Oct-09 © Grimbaldus Group 2009

The following slides contain photographs taken by the author during visits to the building to recover assets including vital backup tapes, hard drives and some 20 million dollars worth of Trade Credits.

The full story of the recovery operation is described in the author’s presentation “Bang Goes Your Business”. This graphically describes the impact the explosion had on one affected company and is the source of lessons learned by many to whom the presentation has been made.

The photographs and this presentation are Copyright the author and Grimaldus Group. Permission to use them will not be unreasonably withheld, but such permission must be sought and granted in writing and their ownership must be duly credited in any use.

[email protected]


Filmed windows collapsed mostly intact into room


Some external glazing remained intact, whilst some was projected inwards. This side faced the seat of the explosion


Despite being filmed, some exterior glazing was ripped and large fragments (still held together by the film) were projected far into the building. This might have been caused by “shrapnel” from the lorry


Parts of the lorry collected from the 3rd floor. This sort of projected materiel would undoubtedly account for some of the panes of filmed external glass that shattered in the frames.

The white residue is unburned explosive; the brown is rust


Filmed exterior glazing was projected largely intact tens of yards into the building (open plan room), wrapping itself around objects


Safety-glazed internal partitions shattered, with glass fragments projected across the room impelled by the blast. These acted with bullets penetrating metal, wood and paper files and contaminating paperwork and equipment


“Shrapnel” (e.g. small parts of the lorry and office “debris”) caused holes of various sizes. Some of that from the lorry might account for some of the panes of filmed external glass that shattered in the frames. Internal “debris” might also account for the shattering of safety-glazed internal partitions


Safety glazed internal partitions collapsed intact, with glass unbroken (trapping people underneath)

examples of the effects of bomb blast on filmed windows and safety glazed partitions

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