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EXPLOSION INJURIES & THEIR FORENSIC ASPECTS

Dr. VISHAL B. SURWADE,Assistant Professor,Forensic Medicine & Toxicology.

4 BOMB The word comes from Greek word bombos

An explosive device, usually some kind of container filled with explosive materials , designed to cause destruction when set off.

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7Suicide Bomber’s Belt

8 EXPLOSION INJURIES

Explosive material is suddenly converted into a large volume of gas with a release of a tremendous amount of energy

Pressure: up to 1000 tons per square inch (psi) Temperature : up to 3000 degree Celsius Solid surfaces reflects the blast waves and

increases the intensity of the blast injury

9 DEFINITION of EXPLOSION Explosion is an phenomenon resulting from sudden

release of energy which is then dissipated by a blast wave, by translocation of the objects in the space or by heat generation.

Classified into three types:AtomicMechanicalChemical

10 EXPLOSIVES Defined u/sec. 4 (d) of Indian Explosive Act,1884. It may be High order Explosion is supersonic Blast contains a over-pressurized wave Low order explosive Explosion is not as fast as the speed of sound No over-pressurization wave Crackers & Batteries

11 CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES Can be gaseous, liquid or solid

Black powderNitroglycerinDynamite TNT (Tri Nitro Toluene) IEDBooby Traps

12INJURIES FROM EXPLOSION ARE MAINLY DUE TO FOUR FACTORS

Blast /shock waves(spreads concentrically from explosion site at a speed of sound)

Flames/ Hot gases(extensive burns with blackening & Tattooing)

Flying missiles

Anoxia(CO,H2S, Nitrous & nitric Gases will cause histotoxic anoxia)

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14 CLASSIFICATION: BOMB BLAST INJURIES Primary blast injuries: direct effect of “blast

overpressure.” Injuries are due to compressed air, which tends to affect air –filled organs such as Lungs, GIT, middle ear, etc.

Secondary blast injuries: due to flying objects generated by the actual blast.

Tertiary Blast injuries: occurs when victims are thrown into the air and strike other objects.

Miscellaneous blast injuries: injuries due to fire, collapse of buildings , etc. (Collateral damages)

15Blast waves from explosion

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17DISRUPTIVE EFFECTS

When in immediate vicinity of an explosion , victims' body would be blown into the pieces and small parts of the body may be scattered over a wide area

When at a little distance away from the explosion , the injuries may be limited to the blowing off of the head or a limb or mangling of a localised area.

18FLAME OR RADIANT HEAT

Extensive burns Depends upon the total thermal

energy , & duration of the explosion. Degree of the burns is directly

proportional to the rate of the explosion

Areas affected by the flash burns are dry, reddish brown & parchment like.

Duration of exposure is small, so superficial burns.

19 DAMAGE TO EAR DUE TO AIR BLAST Most sensitive to blast

Rupture of tympanic membrane Damage to cochlea & Eustachian tube Deafness (sensorineural or conductive or

both) Ossicular chain gets affected Tinnitus

20 DAMAGE TO LUNGS DUE TO AIR BLAST Alveolar haemorrhage due to tearing

of alveolar septa Lungs are bruised due to direct blow

on the chest by bomb fragments and debris.

Chest X-ray showing typical bilateral patchy infiltrates.

Commonly known as “Blast Lungs”

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22 DAMAGE TO GIT Intestinal rupture Haemorrhage beneath the

peritoneum and into the mesentery and omentum

Blunt trauma to the abdomen can cause solid organ injuries like liver, renal and splenic contusion, lacerations and haemorrhage. Multiple shrapnel entry sites (black

arrows) and penetrating injury to intestine (white arrows).

23 DAMAGE TO CNS

Concussion Cerebral

haemorrhage Coup-

contrecoup Whiplash injury

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25 INVESTIGATION Photographs and sketches of the scene Panchnama of the site Complete body X Ray before and after the removal of the

clothes as fragments of the bomb may be trapped within the clothing or in tissues.

Clothes should be preserved Tiny fragments may reveal the bomb mechanism Distribution of the injuries should be carefully drawn on a

diagrams Autopsy

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27 POST- MORTEM EXAMINATION

Identification(in case of fragmented body parts or in case of mass disasters)

Radiological examination Collection of surface evidence Documentation of injuries Identification of natural diseases Collection of internal samples

28BODY STIPPLING

Classic triad ofAbrasionContusion &Laceration

29 INJURIES DUE TO EXPLOSION Blunt impact injuries Incised Penetrating Burns Fractures Scattered foci of small internal haemorrhages in

brain, lungs, bowel and mesentery Ruptured stomach, intestines and bladder

30 SAMPLES PRESERVATION For tissue matching: Hair & blood For Toxicology: Blood(for Carboxy

haemoglobin, Cyanide and Phosphorus), urine

For Histopathology: to detect ARDS, pulmonary contusion or myaoglobinuric renal failure resulting from crush syndrome.

Trace evidences: Glass and other foreign materials , clothing and foot wears.

31 CAUSE OF DEATH Burns Blunt force trauma Falling debris Asphyxia due to inhalation of product of combustion Crush syndrome Shock and haemorrhage Air embolism Delayed causes: Septicaemia

32 MEDICOLEGAL ASPECTS Accidental (In case of LPG Cylinder or Dynamite explosion )

Suicidal : Suicide bombers Identification of the deceased. Homicidal : as in case of terrorist activities Sabotage activity by various ultra leftist outfits Passenger Aircraft explosion

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34IF THERE IS MASS DISASTER??

Ujjain is hosting Simhast. Any untoward event: In case of living as well as in dead Real challenge in front of the administration ( for both Civil

and Medical) Set up field hospital with field Forensic Lab. Proper collection & maintain the proper chain of custody of

the samples Help line numbers Use of social media

35 REFERENCES Blast Injuries ”True Weapons of Mass Destruction” by Charles

Stewart Jane’s Defence Weekly: July,2014 Modi’s Medical Jurisprudence- 24th Edition Essentials of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology: Anil Aggarwal India Defence.com Wikipedia.com Times of India clippings The Hindu clippings

36 NUCLEAR EXPLOSION Thousands of times more powerful Large proportion of energy is liberated

along with potentially harmful radiation(alpha, beta and gamma radiations)

Injuries caused are same as that of high explosive blasts like collapse of the buildings and flying missiles.

Damages are caused by thermal radiation consisting of UV and IR rays causing flash burns

Radioactive contamination of food, water and air.