Exploding Flashlight-HPD

[Lumberjack]

Does anyone know what kind of flashlight the officer had that exploded at HPD?

[CenTex]

Well from the reports it was a plastic cased model, if that narrows it down, but I'm sure you already read that. Several of the Pelican models are 'composite', so maybe one of those?

[Guest]

What happened?

[ThaLastLetter]

http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou091005_tnt_exploding-flashlight.1e81746a5.html

HOUSTON—A Houston police officer was injured on the job Sunday night when his flashlight exploded.

Police said the officer was responding to a call at an apartment complex at Crescent Park and Southlake when the incident occurred.

Investigators said the officer was one of two policemen searching a darkened apartment when the flashlight he was holding blew up in his face.

He was rushed to Memorial Hermann in stable condition.

The second officer was hit in the arm by debris from the explosion, but he was not transported.

Police said the exploding flashlight was made of plastic, rather than metal like the older models. They believe the battery may have caused the malfunction, and the plastic wasn’t strong enough to contain it.

HPD officials said they plan to inspect all of their flashlights to see if any others could be dangerous.

[ZoomByU]

HPD officials said they plan to inspect all of their flashlights to see if any others could be dangerous.

That is BS, we buy our own flashlights. No word on what kind of flashlight it was.

[El_Federal]

dang, and i own a pelican. i hope the officers are ok.

[kcso]

That is BS, we buy our own flashlights. No word on what kind of flashlight it was.

The only thing our department buys us, other than a uniform, are flashlights. They are all Streamlights though.

[ZoomByU]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6652786.html

HPD checking flashlights after one explodes
Officer suffers minor burns on left cheek in W. Houston
By DALE LEZON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Oct. 5, 2009, 12:37PM
Share Print Share Del.icio.usDiggTwitterYahoo! BuzzFacebookStumbleUponHouston police are inspecting their flashlights after one exploded in the face of an officer working a second job Sunday night.

Two officers were told by residents of an apartment complex at Crescent Park and Southlake in west Houston that people had been seen coming and going from a vacant, darkened unit, department spokesman John Cannon said.

Once inside, the officers reported hearing some sort of explosion and retreated outside, calling for backup. When they went back in, they found the flashlight batteries on the floor and realized what happened.

The officer holding the flashlight suffered a minor burn on his left cheek, a reddened eye and a minor hand injury, Cannon said. He was treated at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center and released.

"There was some type of chemical reaction," Cannon said.

The flashlight was a Streamlight Poly Tac LED model, powered by two Ultralast Photo Lithium batteries, Cannon said.

Cannon added that officers are expected to provide certain pieces of their own equipment, including flashlights and handguns, so brands and models vary across the force.

[beavo451]

Crappy batteries, not surprised.