Northwest : SEAL BEACH : Naval Official Says Blast Poses No Danger

An explosion planned 140 feet below the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station in October to map hidden fault lines has a few residents questioning the safety of the experiment.

But a station spokesman said the explosion will not endanger the vast stockpiles of high-powered armaments at the base.

Earthquake scientists plan to set off a series of 60 ammonium nitrate explosions beginning Oct. 24 along a path from Seal Beach to Barstow. The goal of the experiments, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center, is to predict what areas will be most affected by earthquakes.

“We do have a site here on the weapons station where they’re going to drill a hole for some explosives, but it’s away from any ordnance,” said weapons station spokesman Joe Davidson. “There is no cause for alarm. We’ve been told that at most, it’s going to be a dull thud.”

Councilman William J. Doane, who represents Leisure World, said some residents have raised concerns about safety.

“The residents who have called me seem to lack confidence in the scientists,” Doane said. “The people’s concern is that when they get going in there, they’re going to set things off.”

Leisure World resident Edith Wolff, 72, said the public should be concerned about the potential consequences of the seismic explosions.

“I’m concerned that they don’t really know what they’re doing--they’re just experimenting,” Wolff said. “We’re trying to outguess nature, and I think that’s going to be the downfall of the human race.”

Similar experiments have been conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area without incident. Geological survey scientists said the largest blasts, planned only for rural areas, will amount to a magnitude 2.5 earthquake and will not trigger other earthquakes. A representative from the Geological Survey will discuss the experiment at the Monday City Council meeting.