The Coloradoan is reporting that a retired nuclear physicist accidentally started the 1,348-acre Galena Fire when he was tinkering with his homemade electric fence. The wildfire burned through Lory State Park and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate on March 15 and 16 west of Fort Collins, Colorado.
It was not the first time that firefighters had been called to the home of George Rinker, 68. In 2009 his controlled burn escaped, but he was able to put it out by himself, according to a report from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
It may give a person pause to learn that Mr. Rinker worked for 30 years at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where his work included theoretical physics and nuclear weapons.
Below is a video report from 9-News:
He tried stomping out the initial ignition, only to burn his shoelaces. Then tried a shovel. Then realized his garden hose had been melted.
Neighbors are quite upset, to say the least.
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013304150020
I hope he is not working on a doomsday device.
Builds nuclear weapons. Can’t build electrified fence.