FWD: Massive NASA Rocket Explosion with fireblast - Gewaltig

Delta II Rocket Explosion

This is an old classic. On January 17, 1997, the Delta II
7925 carrying a $45 million GPS satellite exploded only 13
seconds after liftoff, raining flaming debris all over
Launch Complex 17 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
No one was injured, and the launchpad itself was not
seriously damaged, though several cars were destroyed
and a few buildings were damaged.

This is why you don't want to put a manned capsule on the
end of a solid rockets. The burning fuel chunks chase the
capsule and the capsule will parachute through the raining
4000-F debris field.

http://www.maniacworld.com/delta-II-rocket-explosion.html

.