Rocketdyne Lab Detonates 53 Shells

Experts have blown up 53 artillery shells at Rocketdyne’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory in the hills of Simi Valley.

The ordnance contained live and dummy rounds that had been found at the field laboratory during the past few weeks.

Four mass detonations were conducted between 9:30 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. Thursday, said Rocketdyne spokesman Dan Beck.

Despite residents who voiced concern about noise and air pollutants earlier this week, Beck said the company received no complaints during the blasting.

Results of air and soil tests that were performed during the blasting will be available in a few weeks. Those tests will show any contamination, Beck said.

Rocketdyne employees, bomb experts and sheriff’s and fire officials at the scene crouched next to a concrete barrier during the blasts, which were conducted in a field about 1,000 yards away, Beck said.

The shells were covered with sandbags and exploded by remote control. Beck said the sound of the detonations was no louder than routine testing done on rocket engines.

“It went very well, according to procedures,” Beck said.

Rocketdyne is in the midst of a $55-million cleanup of contamination at the 2,668-acre Santa Susana facility.