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UT Lab Explosion Injures One, Halts Research
The explosion damaged the site and debris injured a driver
Friday, Jun 15, 2012 | Updated 8:54 AM CDT
IAT/UT
The IAT facility in Austin will determine where to continue high-velocity tests after the incident in Leander.
The University of Texas has stopped high-velocity projectiles research at a lab where an explosion left a passer-by hurt earlier this week.
UT research official Juan Sanchez said Thursday that the metal building is not structurally adequate for such experiments. The UT Institute for Advance Technology does research for the military.
A driver was injured by debris during an explosion Tuesday that left holes in the leased building in Leander, about 20 miles northwest of Austin.
Sanchez told the Austin American-Statesman that a piece of a launcher broke off and was propelled by high-pressure hydrogen gas.
Sanchez says UT will repair the structure, which the school has used since 1990 when the area was less populated, for less high-impact experiments.
Further details weren't immediately released on plans for the higher-velocity research.
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