DIVERGING OPTIONS ON CAUSE OF SASOVO EXPLOSION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: UFO SPECIAL COLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005517791
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2011
• Case Number: F-2010-00651
• Publication Date: April 15, 1991

C00386438
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SERIAL=PM1704132S91 UDN=X(52912)
CLASS=UNCLAS 3S/FAX
UNCLAS 3S/FAX
SERIAL: PM1704132591
PASS: COPY TO
COUNTRY: USSR
SUBJ: DIVERGING OPINIONS ON CAUSE. OF SASOVO EXPLOSION
REF: LD1204142191 MOSCOW TASS ENGLISH 121303 -- 'STRANGE ROAR'
PRECEDES 'MYSTERIOUS BLAST' IN SASOVO
SOURCE: MOSCOW PRAVDA IN RUSSIAN 15 APR 91 FIRST EDITION P 3
TEXT:. - .
//((CORRESPONDENT N. KIREYEV REPORT: "INCIDENTS: SALTPETER'
BLOWN UP FROM UFO?"))
((TEXT)) RYAZAN OBLAST -- A HIGHLY POWERFUL EXPLOSION RANG OUT
AT MIDNIGHT 12 APRIL NEAR THE SMALL CITY OF SASOVO IN THE RYAZAN,
AREA. THE SHOCK WAVE'ROARED DOWN ITS STREETS, RIPPING OFF ROOFS IN
SOME AREAS AND KNOCKING OUT WINDOWS -- EVEN THE FRAMES -- IN A GOOD
HALF OF THE.APARTMENT BLOCKS, BUILDINGS, AND STRUCTURES. ACCORDING
TO EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS, MULTISTORY. BLOCKS ROCKED AS IN AN
EARTHQUAKE.
THE ALARMED RESIDENTS COULD NOT RECOVER THEIR COMPOSURE B.EFORE
MORNING, LOST IN CONJECTURE AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED. INCIDENTALLY,
NO ONE SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURY ALTHOUGH THERE WERE VISITS TO
MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS: SOME PEOPLE WERE IN SHOCK AND SOME HAD BEEN.
CUT BY BROKEN GLASS...
KINDERGARTENS AND SCHOOLS WERE TEMPORARILY NONOPERATIONAL.
DRAFTS BLEW THROUGH BUILDINGS BEFORE THE FRAMES WERE COVERED WITH
POLYTHENE FILM-
"THE-POPULATION IS NOW LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE
INCIDENT," A, ROZHKOV, CHAIRMAN OF SASOVSKIY RAYON SOVIET OF
PEOPLE'S DEPUTIES AND PARTY RAYKOM ((RAYON PARTY COMMITTEE)) FIRST
SECRETARY, BELIEVES, "THAN BY THE UNCERTAINTY. IT-IS STILL UNCLEAR
WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT-MUNITIONS
LEFT BURIED' SINCE THE LAST WAR, WHILE OTHERS CLAIM THAT A POWERFUL
AIR BOMB FELL, A THIRD GROUP BLAME IT ON A METEORITE, AND A FOURTH
GROUP BLAME UFO'5... THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SUPPOSEDLY SAW A MOVING
FIERY SPHERE."
"MILITARY MEN WHO VISITED THE SCENE OF THE EXPLOSION," ANAT'OLIY
.FEDOROVICH WENT ON, "PUT FORWARD THEIR OWN HYPOTHESIS: THEY *SAY
THAT AMMONIUM NITRATE EXPLODED. WE DO NOT KNOW WHOM AND WHAT TO
BELIEVE. ONE THING IS REASSURING: NO VARIATIONS IN THE RADIATION
BACKGROUND AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAVE BEEN
DETECTED. WE ARE WAITING FOR SPECIALISTS FROM THE USSR ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES AND FOR THE RESULTS OF A CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ANALYSIS."
CERTAINLY, THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION IS STILL A MYSTERY
ALTHOUGH THE CRATER 1 KM FROM THE CITY, 28 METERS IN DIAMETER, AND
ROUGHLY 4 METERS DEEP IS, REGRETTABLY, A REALITY. ALONGSIDE THERE
WERE 30 TONNES OF FRESH AMMONIUM NITRATE WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO THE
FIELD 5 APRIL TO FERTILIZE THE PLANTS. BUT CROP FARMERS HAVE,
AFTER ALL, SUCCESSFULLY USED THIS FERTILIZER FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND ABROAD. LOCAL AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY
WAREHOUSES CONTAIN 10,000 TONNES OF SALTPETER FROM THE CONSIGNMENT
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MS. VAT 29O0> ,:'yo
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THAT EXPLODED. THANK GOD, ALL IS QUIET THERE.
THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD ULTIMATELY SHED LIGHT-ON THE SASOVO
"WONDER EXPLOSION."
(ENDALL) 15 APR 17/1342Z APR
BT
#3907
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