Mon, Nov 30, 2020 LOGIN Subscription Offers If you've never seen it, you're either Amish or an infant. KATU/YouTubeThornton consulted with munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before blowing up a whale. Officials feared people might start climbing it and could even fall into the whale’s carcass. The 45-foot-long, eight-ton sperm whale carcass had washed up on the beach days earlier, and Oregon’s Department of Transportation had been tasked with cleaning up the foul-smelling behemoth. The Oregon highway department came in with an idea, blow the whale up with dymamite which would spread the carcass around in small pieces where birds, crabs and other scavengers could clean up the mess. In what was called a "controlled explosion," they used a … Since Oregon beaches were under the DOT’s jurisdiction at the time, it was his call. “Chunks of the animal flew in every direction, and spectators began to scream and run for cover when they glimpsed large pieces soaring directly overhead.”. The spontaneous explosion of a dead whale carcass isn’t as uncommon as you might think. Oregon State, meanwhile, has since implemented a policy to bury carcasses that can’t be easily removed. As a result, the dead leviathan has attracted numerous onlookers. 95% Upvoted. “They’ll certainly remember what not to do.”. In November 1970, the town of Florence, Oregon decided to blow up an 8-ton whale carcass that had washed up on the beach. Oregon regrettably exploded an 8-ton whale carcass 50 years ago, using 20 cases of TNT. One copy of the video uploaded to YouTube 12 years ago has been viewed 3.2 million times. The results were truly explosive. “Our cameras stopped rolling immediately after the blast,” anchor Paul Linnman says. On Nov. 12, 1970, a sperm whale carcass was blown to pieces on the Oregon coast, sending huge chunks of blubber falling not just onto innocent … Those watching cry out in happy excitement before the mood turns. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 m) away. Frustrated at being handed this seemingly novice story, he initially rejected the task — then he found out half a ton of dynamite was involved. KATU/YouTubeAssistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton (pictured) was aggravated about the incident until his death in 2013. He purportedly refused to talk about it, and once explained that every time he brought it up, “it blew up in my face.” For Linnman, meanwhile, the segment he hesitated to produce became somewhat of a phenomenon. While he told Linnman on that fateful day in 1970 that he was “confident that it’ll work,” the plan’s failure embarrassed him for the rest of his life. So, Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton made a historic call. Browse more videos. While originally reported to be a Pacific gray whale, Linnman later corrected himself in his 2003 book The Exploding Whale and Other Remarkable Stories from the Evening News after consulting with renowned marine biologist Dr. Bruce Mate, who was actually on the beach the day they blew up the whale. I think he said 20 sticks,'” Umenhoffer recalled. On the other hand, reporter Paul Linnman was less thrilled when he got the assignment to cover the exploding whale. It is believed a large gas pocket erupted in the decomposing whale. A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transportation) blew up a decaying sperm whale with dynamite in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous exploding whale in Oregon. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: This sperm whale carcass explodes on a beach in the Faroe Islands after a man attempts to open its stomach. ... half a ton of dynamite was used to blow up the rotting whale carcass in front of a crowd of spectators. report. Last year, Florence residents voted from among nine options to name a new park on the Siuslaw River as Exploding Whale Memorial Park. It's back. KATU/YouTube Reporter Paul Linnman stands in front of the carcass that’s about to be detonated in Oregon’s infamous exploding whale incident of 1970. The Doncaster Council posted a thread on Twitter. On November 12, 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation blew up a dead whale that had washed up on a Florence beach. Those chunks weren’t as bite-sized as officials expected. The one car demolished by blubber that day was purchased from a dealer whose slogan advertised a “whale of a deal.”. Remember the Montauk Monster? Inside The Bizarre True Story Of Oregon’s Exploding Whale. After all, these were serious explosives used dangerously close to bystanders. On November 12th, 1970, Paul Linnman delivered a legendary news report on a whale carcass that had washed up on the shores of Florence, Oregon. For those who were there, it was a surreal sight to behold. And Thursday marks five decades since the Oregon Highway Department made the fateful decision to try to remove the 8-ton whale carcass with dynamite. On November 9, 1970, a 14 meter-long, 7,300 kg sperm whale washed up on the central Oregon coast. Half a ton of dynamite was used in the infamous exploding whale incident. 6 years ago | 550 views. Hundreds of whale carcasses popped 'like balloons' to stop them exploding on New Zealand beach. ... 60-ton carcass is bloating on the waterfront as methane gas inside expands, according to a report from CTV. On a clear November day in 1970 in Florence, Oregon, state highway engineers lit 20 cases of dynamite to blow apart a 45-foot sperm whale carcass that … The council used the exploding whale analogy to tell people to listen to the experts. “Then they said they were going to use dynamite and I said, ‘Ok, let’s go.'”. Canada could have an exploding whale problem. hide. How a 50-TONNE sperm whale EXPLODED in street covering horrified bystanders in body parts A SPERM whale exploded on a street in Taiwan, splattering passers-by, … “I can still conjure it up 40 years later,” Linnman said in 2010. After detonation, they figured that seagulls and other scavengers would eat up any whale meat that wasn’t washed away by the tide. In 1970, a huge whale carcass washed up on a beach in Oregon. See Wacky Oregon Coast History: Nov. 12 is Happy Exploding Whale Day, New Facts The decade anniversaries have been fervently noted and celebrated, starting with the twentieth back in 1990. The original story of the exploding whale first appeared on KATU Channel 2 Portland, OR in November 1970. KATU/YouTubeReporter Paul Linnman stands in front of the carcass that’s about to be detonated in Oregon’s infamous exploding whale incident of 1970. “The blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds,” Linnman reported. “The responsibility for getting rid of the carcass was placed upon the Oregon State Highway Division,” the article reads, “apparently on the theory that highways and whales are very similar in the sense of being very large objects.” On November 12th, 1970, Paul Linnman delivered a legendary news report on a whale carcass that had washed up on the shores of Florence, Oregon. The Oregon Highway Division had the bright idea of exploding the whale … Today marks the 50th anniversary of the exploding beached whale incident that took place in Florence, Oregon on November 12, 1970 when highway patrol used way too much dynamite to remove a whale carcass. The key to the look seems to be symmetry... Judging by how good she is at recreating it, clearly this woman does this dance every night before going to bed. However, on one memorable occasion, humans gave nature a helping hand. (Facebook) A town in Oregon renamed one of its parks after a rotting beached whale carcass town officials exploded 50 years prior. Then, learn about the humpback whale mysteriously discovered in the Amazon jungle. Sort by. Though it would have been possible to cut the carcass into pieces after relieving methane pressure with incisions, nobody was eager to do so. “It almost bent the car in a V, and my dad goes, ‘My car!’ My dad bought it from Old’s Dunham Cadillac, and their slogan at the time was come on in — and we’ll give you a whale of a deal.”. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 metres) away. 12. To his point, the exploding whale footage has remained an object of fascination for decades. “So I’m all excited, and I went over to my dad: ‘They’re going to blow it up, 20 cases of dynamite,’ and my father proceeded to say, ‘I think you misheard them. A quarter-mile away, cars were smashed with chunks of cetacean carcass. Playing next. share. Having A Blast in Oregon’s “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” In November of 1970, a sperm whale washed up on the beach near Florence, Oregon. They feared burying the whale would be useless, as its rotting flesh and stench would be exposed soon after. On Nov. 12, 1970, a sperm whale carcass was blown to pieces on the Oregon coast, sending huge chunks of blubber falling not just onto innocent … Fortunately, no one was hurt by the explosion or the subsequent, unexpected debris. FLORENCE, Ore. - This year marks 50 years since a grey whale washed ashore near Florence. 'There she blows!' Here’s how. Infamous Exploding Whale News Clip Gets Remastered in 4K for Its 50th Anniversary . Technically, their preparations made sense. And while guidelines and perspectives have certainly changed over the years, Linnman remembers that day as if it were yesterday. But the people who were there know that the dead whale exploding was all too real — and it sent gigantic chunks of whale flesh hailing down on them and their cars alike. A town in northern England is using Oregon's infamous "exploding whale" incident as a teaching tool for how to survive the pandemic. The explo… When a dead whale was beached in Florence, Oregon in … Paul Linnman, on the scene in Florence on November 12, 1970, with the infamous whale carcass. Soon after, a video clip went viral on the internet, long before "going viral on the internet" was even a thing. Oregon highway workers had to find a way to dispose of the rotting carcass of a 45-foot-long, eight ton whale in Florence, the closest beach town to Eugene, on Nov. 12, 1970. “It had a stinking whale of a problem.”. save. “The story persists because it is interesting.”. Ultimately, the disastrous incident was thoroughly educational for those who believed blowing up a whale in public was appropriate. 7 The Oregon Whale Explosion of 1970. The body of the Sperm Whale washed up at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland (Image: PA) There have been several cases of whale carcasses bursting due to a build-up of gas as their insides rot. KATU/YouTubeThe one car demolished by blubber that day was purchased from a dealer whose slogan advertised a “whale of a deal.”. It was so large the Oregon Highway Division thought it would be too difficult to cut the body up and haul it away. Thornton consulted with munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before blowing up a whale. Jose Collier. Escaped from the same top secret government facility as the first, this monster washed up on... A helicopter transporting a donor heart crashed last Friday on the Keck Hospital of USC helipad. The giant stinking carcass on the Florence beach put Oregon authorities in a bizarre pickle. A whale breaching the water. As it turns out, that was overkill. Keep going for the gloriously remastered video in all its legendary glory. Follow. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 metres) away. Around 400 die after one of the biggest strandings in country's history On November 12, 1970, residents of the small town of Florence, Oregon witnessed a rare sight as an exploding whale sent chunks of meat and blubber soaring 100 feet into the sky. The most infamous incident occurred in Taiwan in 2004, where a whale carcass was being taken from shore to a laboratory for study when it suddenly exploded in the midst of a busy street, with the whale’s guts drenching the onlookers and shops—it was horrific! His team would treat the whale like a boulder — and blow it up. The story was reported by Paul Linnman with cameraman Doug Brazil who captured the event on 16mm film, the common format for TV news coverage in those days. Today is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Exploding Whale of Oregon incident of 1970. Dead whale carcass explodes. An eight-ton 45-foot long whale washed up on the beach near Florence and, after a few days, started to decay and cause quite an odor. Exploding Whale Memorial Park, in Florence, Oregon. Well, another one at least. “If I think about it, I can still smell that smell.”. A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transportation) blew up a decaying sperm whale with dynamite in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass. nsfw. It’s one of those real-life stories that just sounds too strange to be real. Exploding sperm whale carcass caught on camera in the Faroe Islands. “As it started to come down, it went boom!” Umenhofer remembered. On a clear November day in 1970 in Florence, Oregon, state highway engineers lit 20 cases of dynamite to blow apart a 45-foot sperm whale carcass that … Reporter Paul Linnman stands in front of the carcass that’s about to be detonated in Oregon’s infamous exploding whale incident of 1970. Mammalian marine guts spewed everywhere, raining down on townsfolk. Luckily, the event was recorded in a TV segment so bizarre that in recent years it’s been called a hoax. The results were truly explosive. Just imagine the undertaking of a local highway division trying to dismantle a massive whale. Credit KATU-TV/YouTube. 21.4k. Wikimedia. Fortunately for Umenhofer Sr., the State of Oregon footed the bill to replace his car. “I consider it the first story to go viral on the internet,” said Shoaps. KATU/YouTubeHalf a ton of dynamite was used in the infamous exploding whale incident. Dead whale carcass explodes. 606 comments. To celebrate the anniversary, the Oregon Historical Society arranged for a 4K transfer of the original raw film footage from their archive and KATU re-edited the package from the new high resolution video. For George Thornton, the exploding whale incident remained a regretful blemish until his death in 2013 at 84 years of age. Today is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Exploding Whale of Oregon incident of 1970. Actual explosives have also been used to assist in disposing of whale carcasses, ordinarily after towing the carcass out to sea. nsfw. DOT public information officer Ed Shoaps believes Linnman’s footage is historic. Exploding Whale Memorial Park in Oregon commemorates a gory 1970 attempt to remove a whale carcass and is now open to the public. The Exploding Whale. Send somebody else,'” Linnman recalled. KATU/YouTubeOregon Highway Division officials used tractors to clear the remains. As it … The Exploding Whale. It was so large the Oregon Highway Division thought it would be too difficult to cut the body up and haul it away. Infamous tale of the exploding whale: 'Grew its own legend after a time, like things do' Olivia Young, KVAL 5 days ago In California: Masks are now required in public; Project Roomkey gets $62 million Claim: In 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation attempted to dispose of a whale carcass by blowing it up. ...a half-ton of dynamite was detonated under an 8-ton beached whale. “The beach erupted in a 100-foot-high column of sand and whale,” reported Larry Bacon for The Register-Guard. 12. According to a 1990 Washington Post article, the whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. “I was getting good assignments and so when they asked me to go to Florence to cover the disposal of a whale, I went, ‘whoa, wait a minute — I’m boy wonder here. Infamous Exploding Whale News Clip Gets Remastered in 4K for Its 50th Anniversary . The exploding whale is a piece of Oregon lore that just won’t go away. The idea was that rotting whale would be … Wikimedia. On Nov. 12, 1970, the Oregon Highway Division decided to remove an eight-ton sperm whale from a Florence beach by blowing it up with dynamite. FIRE EXPLODING HOVERBOARD CAUGHT ON CAMERA! On November 12, 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation blew up a dead whale that had washed up on a Florence beach. I was a young reporter, I was 23 years old. Horrifying footage shows washed-up sperm whale EXPLODING as biologist tries to cut up its carcass. In the early 1990s, many who first discovered the segment believed it to be recent and angrily called Oregon officials to complain — unaware it was decades old. This story remained a local legend for two decades, until the early ’90s, when the newspaper columnist Dave Barry mentioned seeing footage of the exploding beast. So George Thornton proposed blowing up the carcass with a half a ton of dynamite. The beached sperm whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. Thornton even ensured all onlookers were a quarter-mile away from the carcass — but had no idea how far whale chunks would fly following his signal. “And I said, ‘No he said 20 cases.'”. Linnman and Brazil filmed the whale explosion from around a quarter of a mile from the carcass. Linnman: My problem was, I didn’t want to cover the story to begin with. Authorities somehow thought using dynamite was the best way to dispose of the deceased sperm whale. I believe it's a law that you have to watch it when logging on to the internet for the first time otherwise police come to your house and arrest you. Horrifying footage shows washed-up sperm whale EXPLODING as biologist tries to cut up its carcass WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: 45ft whale beached in the Faroe Islands It exploded … On a clear November day in 1970 in Florence, Ore., state highway engineers lit 20 cases of dynamite to blow apart a 45-foot sperm whale carcass that had … Oregon Highway Division officials used tractors to clear the remains. Minke whales are common in the waters around the UK, but carcasses rarely wash up in this area. After a countdown finishes, the whale explodes into a wall of mist. Unfortunately for Umenhofer, the one car destroyed in the aftermath of the exploding whale belonged to his father. On November 12, 1970, residents of the small town of Florence, Oregon … View discussions in 11 other communities. Report. Around 400 die after one of the biggest strandings in country's history I do bigger stories. Explosions like this continue to this day, though the whales are first towed out to sea. On November 12, 1970, residents of the small town of Florence, Oregon witnessed a rare sight as an exploding whale sent chunks of meat and blubber soaring 100 feet into the sky. As it turns out, that was overkill. In November 1970, the town of Florence, Oregon decided to blow up an 8-ton whale carcass that had washed up on the beach. Hundreds of whale carcasses popped 'like balloons' to stop them exploding on New Zealand beach. HomeAdvisor decided to imagine what the Simpsons' interiors would look like if they were designed by Wes Anderson. One copy of the video uploaded to YouTube 12 years ago has been viewed 3.2 million times. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the exploding beached whale incident that took place in Florence, Oregon on November 12, 1970 when highway patrol used way too much dynamite to remove a whale carcass....a half-ton of dynamite was detonated under an 8-ton beached whale. Posted by 6 months ago. Exploding sperm whale carcass caught on camera in the Faroe Islands. There have been several cases of whale carcasses bursting due to a buildup of gas in the decomposition process. It was actually a sperm whale. Just imagine the undertaking of a local highway division trying to dismantle a massive whale. He recalled overhearing the officials preparing the whale for demolition and running back to his father to share the news. A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transportation) blew up a decaying sperm whale with dynamite in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass. Close. Believe it or not, this all really happened. oregon sperm whale sperm whales washed ashore whale whale carcass; First Published: April 11, 2020, 9:46 IST Though the 113th Rhododendron … best. 5:32. Instead of bits fit for seagulls, chunks of whale flesh rained down, with at least one hefty enough to crush a car. Archived. Authorities somehow thought using dynamite was the best way to dispose of the deceased sperm whale. They gathered the right amount of explosives, and positioned them on the land side of the giant creature, hoping to blow the exploding dead whale outward into the ocean. In 1970, a huge whale carcass washed up on a beach in Oregon. Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton (pictured) was aggravated about the incident until his death in 2013. level 1. The carcass of a sperm whale (often reported as a grey whale) had been rotting on the beach just south of Florence, Oregon, USA, for several days. Mammalian marine guts spewed everywhere, raining down on townsfolk. Thornton made sure to consult munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before forging ahead with his proposed solution. The mammal's insides suddenly surge open as the man … It was actually a sperm whale. A dead sperm whale explodes in the Faroe Islands as a man attempts to open its stomach. “After they blew it up, everyone is watching in awe, and then 30 seconds later — blam blam blam — then everyone’s going, ‘There’s huge chunks of whale blubber getting thrown on us,'” said Umenhofer. After learning about the dead whale exploding on an Oregon beach, read about the 18 weirdest items to ever wash up on the beach. Marco Margaritoff is a Staff Writer at All That Is Interesting. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In a poll to determine the new park’s name, “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” garnered 439 out of 856 votes. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous exploding whale in Oregon. A quarter-mile away, cars were smashed with chunks of cetacean carcass. “It might be concluded that should a whale ever wash ashore in Lane County again, those in charge will not only remember what to do,” concluded Linnman. The locals of a small Canadian town are becoming increasingly worried that the rotting carcass of a beached whale may soon explode and release dangerous bacteria into the air. A widely reported case of an exploding whale occurred in Florence, Oregon in November 1970, when the Oregon Highway Division (now the Oregon Department of Transportation) blew up a decaying sperm whalewith dynamite in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass. 21 Enchanting Photos Of Paronella Castle, The Australian Party Palace Abandoned In The Jungle, How The Dyckman Farmhouse Has Stood For 235 Years While New York City Grew Up Around It, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Watch an exploding whale, a clueless state workers's solution to a beached whale carcass, courtesy of a 70s local news broadcast. On November 12th, 1970, Oregon Highway Division officials used boxes of powerful explosives to get rid of a whale carcass that had washed up on shore near Florence, about three hours south of Portland. We have much to learn from the exploding whale of Florence, Oregon, USA The year is 1970 and a 45-foot sperm whale has washed up onto the beach of … This story remained a local legend for two decades, until the early '90s, when the newspaper columnist Dave Barry mentioned seeing footage of the exploding beast. As one might imagine, the decaying carcass of an 8-ton sea creature posed a serious health hazard to beachgoers. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: 45ft whale beached in … Linnman and Brazil filmed the whale explosion from around a quarter of a mile from the carcass. Findentertainment. This thread is archived. A sperm whale exploded like this in January 2004 as it … In July 2020 — half a century after the explosion — Florence residents voted to dedicate a park to the incident. On November 12th, 1970, Oregon Highway Division officials used boxes of powerful explosives to get rid of a whale carcass that had washed up on shore near Florence, about three hours south of Portland. While originally reported to be a Pacific gray whale, Linnman later corrected himself in his 2003 book The Exploding Whale and Other Remarkable Stories from the Evening News after consulting with renowned marine biologist Dr. Bruce Mate, who was actually on the beach the day they blew up the whale. The Exploding Whale footage was remastered for its 50th anniversary, Woman recreates dance she made as a child for Britney Spears', Donor heart immediately dropped by doctor after being recovered from crashed transport helicopter, Steve Kornacki breaks his brain trying not to say 'Big Dump' of votes, AI camera mistakes referee's bald head for soccer ball. (Portland, OR) -- Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of an exploding whale in Oregon. See Wacky Oregon Coast History: Nov. 12 is Happy Exploding Whale Day, New Facts The decade anniversaries have been fervently noted and celebrated, starting with the twentieth back in 1990. A whale breaching the water. Kelly Umenhofer was 14 years old at the time and remembers the day of the exploding whale incident vividly. Tags: British town coronavirus Doncaster Council England exploding whale Exploding whale fiasco Florence. 5:32. “It had to be said the Oregon State Highway Department not only had a whale of a problem on its hands,” said news anchor Paul Linnman, reporting on the scene for KATU. KATU/YouTubeThe beached sperm whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. The carcass of a dead minke whale that washed up on the west coast of England is at risk of exploding as gases released by the rotting flesh collect inside the whale.