This week marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous exploding whale in Oregon. 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. Actual explosives have also been used to assist in disposing of whale carcasses, ordinarily after towing the carcass out to sea. 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. One copy of the video uploaded to YouTube 12 years ago has been viewed 3.2 million times. “I consider it the first story to go viral on the internet,” said Shoaps. Oregon Highway Division officials used tractors to clear the remains. nsfw. 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 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. (Facebook) A town in Oregon renamed one of its parks after a rotting beached whale carcass town officials exploded 50 years prior. In a poll to determine the new park’s name, “Exploding Whale Memorial Park” garnered 439 out of 856 votes. Marco Margaritoff is a Staff Writer at All That Is Interesting. Authorities somehow thought using dynamite was the best way to dispose of the deceased sperm whale. According to a 1990 Washington Post article, the whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. 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. After a countdown finishes, the whale explodes into a wall of mist. 12. HomeAdvisor decided to imagine what the Simpsons' interiors would look like if they were designed by Wes Anderson. report. “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.”. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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 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. 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. On November 12, 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation blew up a dead whale that had washed up on a Florence beach. Thornton made sure to consult munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before forging ahead with his proposed solution. 5:32. Mammalian marine guts spewed everywhere, raining down on townsfolk. The Oregon Highway Division had the bright idea of exploding the whale … The Exploding Whale. 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 … To his point, the exploding whale footage has remained an object of fascination for decades. Exploding sperm whale carcass caught on camera in the Faroe Islands. His team would treat the whale like a boulder — and blow it up. 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. FIRE EXPLODING HOVERBOARD CAUGHT ON CAMERA! 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. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 metres) away. On November 12, 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation blew up a dead whale that had washed up on a Florence beach. Last year, Florence residents voted from among nine options to name a new park on the Siuslaw River as Exploding Whale Memorial Park. 6 years ago | 550 views. KATU/YouTubeHalf a ton of dynamite was used in the infamous exploding whale incident. “The blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds,” Linnman reported. A whale breaching the water. Since Oregon beaches were under the DOT’s jurisdiction at the time, it was his call. Browse more videos. It is believed a large gas pocket erupted in the decomposing whale. Those chunks weren’t as bite-sized as officials expected. Playing next. Exploding sperm whale carcass caught on camera in the Faroe Islands. I was a young reporter, I was 23 years old. 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. The original story of the exploding whale first appeared on KATU Channel 2 Portland, OR in November 1970. “They’ll certainly remember what not to do.”. Just imagine the undertaking of a local highway division trying to dismantle a massive whale. 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. Around 400 die after one of the biggest strandings in country's history ... half a ton of dynamite was used to blow up the rotting whale carcass in front of a crowd of spectators. Mammalian marine guts spewed everywhere, raining down on townsfolk. In November 1970, the town of Florence, Oregon decided to blow up an 8-ton whale carcass that had washed up on the beach. It's back. Jose Collier. “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. In July 2020 — half a century after the explosion — Florence residents voted to dedicate a park to the incident. 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. Though the 113th Rhododendron … In what was called a "controlled explosion," they used a … On November 12, 1970, residents of the small town of Florence, Oregon … Fortunately, no one was hurt by the explosion or the subsequent, unexpected debris. 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 … Keep going for the gloriously remastered video in all its legendary glory. There have been several cases of whale carcasses bursting due to a buildup of gas in the decomposition process. level 1. Remember the Montauk Monster? Frustrated at being handed this seemingly novice story, he initially rejected the task — then he found out half a ton of dynamite was involved. 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. Around 400 die after one of the biggest strandings in country's history Oregon State, meanwhile, has since implemented a policy to bury carcasses that can’t be easily removed. 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 … Report. 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 The results were truly explosive. Wikimedia. View discussions in 11 other communities. Follow. 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 explo… Fortunately for Umenhofer Sr., the State of Oregon footed the bill to replace his car. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the infamous exploding whale in Oregon. 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. Officials feared people might start climbing it and could even fall into the whale’s carcass. A town in northern England is using Oregon's infamous "exploding whale" incident as a teaching tool for how to survive the pandemic. Luckily, the event was recorded in a TV segment so bizarre that in recent years it’s been called a hoax. On the other hand, reporter Paul Linnman was less thrilled when he got the assignment to cover the exploding whale. FLORENCE, Ore. - This year marks 50 years since a grey whale washed ashore near Florence. 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. Mon, Nov 30, 2020 LOGIN Subscription Offers Instead of bits fit for seagulls, chunks of whale flesh rained down, with at least one hefty enough to crush a car. “The story persists because it is interesting.”. When a dead whale was beached in Florence, Oregon in … Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton (pictured) was aggravated about the incident until his death in 2013. So George Thornton proposed blowing up the carcass with a half a ton of dynamite. The exploding whale is a piece of Oregon lore that just won’t go away. 12. 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. The idea was that rotting whale would be … Exploding Whale Memorial Park, in Florence, Oregon. 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. Findentertainment. After detonation, they figured that seagulls and other scavengers would eat up any whale meat that wasn’t washed away by the tide. A dead sperm whale explodes in the Faroe Islands as a man attempts to open its stomach. Just imagine the undertaking of a local highway division trying to dismantle a massive whale. I think he said 20 sticks,'” Umenhoffer recalled. 7 The Oregon Whale Explosion of 1970. Dead whale carcass explodes. “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. 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 … 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 … 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. 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, … 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. nsfw. Credit KATU-TV/YouTube. 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. Today is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Exploding Whale of Oregon incident of 1970. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: 45ft whale beached in … He recalled overhearing the officials preparing the whale for demolition and running back to his father to share the news. hide. As it turns out, that was overkill. Today is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Exploding Whale of Oregon incident of 1970. “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.” Kelly Umenhofer was 14 years old at the time and remembers the day of the exploding whale incident vividly. Unfortunately for Umenhofer, the one car destroyed in the aftermath of the exploding whale belonged to his father. I do bigger stories. 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 … Technically, their preparations made sense. 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. 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. A quarter-mile away, cars were smashed with chunks of cetacean carcass. 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. Posted by 6 months ago. 'There she blows!' The mammal's insides suddenly surge open as the man … One copy of the video uploaded to YouTube 12 years ago has been viewed 3.2 million times. 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. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 metres) away. It was so large the Oregon Highway Division thought it would be too difficult to cut the body up and haul it away. Watch an exploding whale, a clueless state workers's solution to a beached whale carcass, courtesy of a 70s local news broadcast. “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. Believe it or not, this all really happened. “And I said, ‘No he said 20 cases.'”. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet (240 m) away. ... 60-ton carcass is bloating on the waterfront as methane gas inside expands, according to a report from CTV. Dead whale carcass explodes. Paul Linnman, on the scene in Florence on November 12, 1970, with the infamous whale carcass. Here’s how. 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. Minke whales are common in the waters around the UK, but carcasses rarely wash up in this area. On November 9, 1970, a 14 meter-long, 7,300 kg sperm whale washed up on the central Oregon coast. best. So, Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton made a historic call. If you've never seen it, you're either Amish or an infant. 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. For George Thornton, the exploding whale incident remained a regretful blemish until his death in 2013 at 84 years of age. 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. “As it started to come down, it went boom!” Umenhofer remembered. (Portland, OR) -- Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of an exploding whale in Oregon. 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! 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. DOT public information officer Ed Shoaps believes Linnman’s footage is historic. KATU/YouTubeThe one car demolished by blubber that day was purchased from a dealer whose slogan advertised a “whale of a deal.”. Linnman: My problem was, I didn’t want to cover the story to begin with. “Our cameras stopped rolling immediately after the blast,” anchor Paul Linnman says. The spontaneous explosion of a dead whale carcass isn’t as uncommon as you might think. As one might imagine, the decaying carcass of an 8-ton sea creature posed a serious health hazard to beachgoers. As it … The results were truly explosive. Explosions like this continue to this day, though the whales are first towed out to sea. Then, learn about the humpback whale mysteriously discovered in the Amazon jungle. “Then they said they were going to use dynamite and I said, ‘Ok, let’s go.'”. As a result, the dead leviathan has attracted numerous onlookers. The Doncaster Council posted a thread on Twitter. 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. For those who were there, it was a surreal sight to behold. 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. After all, these were serious explosives used dangerously close to bystanders. Exploding Whale Memorial Park in Oregon commemorates a gory 1970 attempt to remove a whale carcass and is now open to the public. After learning about the dead whale exploding on an Oregon beach, read about the 18 weirdest items to ever wash up on the beach. 21.4k. The one car demolished by blubber that day was purchased from a dealer whose slogan advertised a “whale of a deal.”. 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. 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. Ultimately, the disastrous incident was thoroughly educational for those who believed blowing up a whale in public was appropriate. 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. Canada could have an exploding whale problem. KATU/YouTubeThe beached sperm whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. It was actually a sperm whale. Well, another one at least. “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.”. A sperm whale exploded like this in January 2004 as it … In November 1970, the town of Florence, Oregon decided to blow up an 8-ton whale carcass that had washed up on the beach. “I can still conjure it up 40 years later,” Linnman said in 2010. 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. WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: This sperm whale carcass explodes on a beach in the Faroe Islands after a man attempts to open its stomach. The council used the exploding whale analogy to tell people to listen to the experts. Infamous Exploding Whale News Clip Gets Remastered in 4K for Its 50th Anniversary . 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. Half a ton of dynamite was used in the infamous exploding whale incident. 606 comments. “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 half-ton of dynamite was detonated under an 8-ton beached whale. 95% Upvoted. And while guidelines and perspectives have certainly changed over the years, Linnman remembers that day as if it were yesterday. Infamous Exploding Whale News Clip Gets Remastered in 4K for Its 50th Anniversary . Archived. Wikimedia. “If I think about it, I can still smell that smell.”. 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. share. Linnman and Brazil filmed the whale explosion from around a quarter of a mile from the carcass. 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. It was so large the Oregon Highway Division thought it would be too difficult to cut the body up and haul it away. They feared burying the whale would be useless, as its rotting flesh and stench would be exposed soon after. “It had a stinking whale of a problem.”. 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 … It’s one of those real-life stories that just sounds too strange to be real. 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. Close. A quarter-mile away, cars were smashed with chunks of cetacean carcass. “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. Claim: In 1970, the Oregon Department of Transportation attempted to dispose of a whale carcass by blowing it up. Oregon regrettably exploded an 8-ton whale carcass 50 years ago, using 20 cases of TNT. oregon sperm whale sperm whales washed ashore whale whale carcass; First Published: April 11, 2020, 9:46 IST Thornton consulted with munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before blowing up a whale. KATU/YouTubeThornton consulted with munitions experts from the U.S. Navy before blowing up a whale. Authorities somehow thought using dynamite was the best way to dispose of the deceased sperm whale. 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. 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. This thread is archived. 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. As it turns out, that was overkill. Though it would have been possible to cut the carcass into pieces after relieving methane pressure with incisions, nobody was eager to do so. In 1970, a huge whale carcass washed up on a beach in Oregon. 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. “The beach erupted in a 100-foot-high column of sand and whale,” reported Larry Bacon for The Register-Guard. The Exploding Whale. 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. Hundreds of whale carcasses popped 'like balloons' to stop them exploding on New Zealand beach. It was actually a sperm whale. However, on one memorable occasion, humans gave nature a helping hand. KATU/YouTubeOregon Highway Division officials used tractors to clear the remains. In 1970, a huge whale carcass washed up on a beach in Oregon. 5:32. Linnman and Brazil filmed the whale explosion from around a quarter of a mile from the carcass. Send somebody else,'” Linnman recalled. Tags: British town coronavirus Doncaster Council England exploding whale Exploding whale fiasco Florence. save. Hundreds of whale carcasses popped 'like balloons' to stop them exploding on New Zealand beach. Those watching cry out in happy excitement before the mood turns. Sort by. Horrifying footage shows washed-up sperm whale EXPLODING as biologist tries to cut up its carcass. Inside The Bizarre True Story Of Oregon’s Exploding Whale. The beached sperm whale was 45 feet long and weighed eight tons. The giant stinking carcass on the Florence beach put Oregon authorities in a bizarre pickle. Soon after, a video clip went viral on the internet, long before "going viral on the internet" was even a thing. A whale breaching the water. KATU/YouTubeAssistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton (pictured) was aggravated about the incident until his death in 2013. Cover the story persists because it is interesting. ” and remembers the day of the video uploaded YouTube... At 84 years of age dispose of the video uploaded to YouTube 12 ago... Dynamite was used in the Faroe Islands a whale in Oregon was in... 8-Ton beached whale whale carcass exploding it would be exposed soon after the whale into. ( pictured ) was aggravated about the incident until his death in.. 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