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READFIELD, Maine — Maine State Fire Marshals are still piecing together a car explosion on Main Street in Readfield, where investigators say a group shot Tannerite rifle targets that had been placed inside the vehicle. As of March 26, 2025, the case is under review for potential criminal charges, officials confirmed. No injuries have been reported, and the central question is not how the blast happened, but what legal consequences should follow.
The explosion occurred during what authorities described as a recreational shooting session in Readfield, a small town in central Maine. Several people were apparently using the car as a fixture for rifle target practice when the explosive material inside it was struck by a bullet. The result was a full detonation that tore the vehicle apart and sent pieces of metal onto the roadway.
Witnesses reported hearing a single, thunderous boom that echoed through nearby neighborhoods. Responding crews from the Readfield Fire Department and the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office closed part of Main Street while they checked homes and businesses for damage.
Traffic on the street was light that day, which officials noted may have prevented the incident from becoming far more serious. Had pedestrians or passing cars been in the immediate blast zone, the outcome could have been much worse.
Fire marshals collected residue and debris from the scene and matched it to Tannerite, a popular brand of binary explosive target used in recreational shooting. The compound had been placed inside the car before firing began, according to the preliminary assessment.
Investigators have since reconstructed the sequence of events, including the positioning of the vehicle and the angle of the shots that struck the target. The office has not publicly named the individuals involved, and a formal report has not yet been released.
Maine fire marshals carry jurisdiction over explosions involving explosive materials in the state, which is why the case landed with them rather than local police alone. The group's shooting session is now the subject of a criminal-focused inquiry rather than a simple accident review.
Tannerite is sold legally in most states and can be purchased without a federal explosives license. It works as a binary compound, meaning users combine two separate substances — commonly ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder — before setting it up as a target. The mixture remains inert until combined and explodes violently when struck by a high-velocity rifle round.
The blast is meant to give shooters immediate visual and auditory feedback on a hit. In an open field, at a safe distance, the product is regarded by many as a routine part of recreational shooting. The risk changes when the target is placed in an enclosed space.
A car is a pressure chamber. When an explosive detonates inside one, the blast wave reflects off the roof, doors, and windows, and the vehicle's own panels act as shrapnel. A target that would produce a loud noise in the open can level a vehicle when confined.
Prosecutors in Kennebec County will ultimately decide whether the incident rises to the level of a crime. Several parts of Maine law could be relevant if the facts support them.
Reckless conduct charges are the most likely path in cases where an explosion occurs near people and property but nobody is hurt. Maine statute defines reckless conduct as creating a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person, and an explosion on a public street would appear to meet that standard.
Property damage and criminal mischief statutes could also apply if the vehicle or nearby structures were damaged without legal justification. The same goes for local ordinances restricting the discharge of firearms or explosives within town limits, which Readfield has been scrutinizing in the wake of the incident.
Because the file is still open, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Investigators have said the final decision will rest with the district attorney's office once the fire marshal's report is submitted.
Explosive safety experts who track similar incidents say the Readfield case fits a familiar pattern. The hazards of Tannerite are measured less by the compound itself and more by where it is detonated.
In open ground, the expansion of gases is directed upward and outward. Inside a confined space, the same gas release is compressed against hard surfaces, multiplying pressure and turning sound into destructive force. The difference between a harmless pop and a devastating blast comes down to confinement.
Investigators who handle these cases uniformly describe the same mistake: the shooter underestimates how much energy is released when a car, building, or even metal drum becomes the blast container.
Readfield is a quiet community where gunfire in the distance is nothing unusual. An explosion on Main Street is another matter entirely.
Residents said they felt the concussion from blocks away and first assumed a gas line had failed or a transformer had blown. When it became clear that Tannerite was involved, reaction shifted to frustration over poor judgment. The blast site sits within a short distance of a school, a library, and several churches, which gave the incident an unnerving edge.
The episode has also reopened local discussion about whether target shooting with explosives should be governed more strictly within town limits. The town has no ordinance that explicitly addresses the use of binary explosive targets, and some residents have begun asking whether that should change.
Authorities use cases like Readfield to repeat a short list of non-negotiables when handling Tannerite.
The compound should never be placed inside a vehicle, building, trash can, or any other enclosed space. The label recommends setting the target on open ground and keeping a distance of at least 100 yards, with even more distance recommended when the target sits against a hard surface.
The two substances should not be mixed until the shooter is ready to use them, because the combined material becomes volatile. Using Tannerite to destroy old cars, appliances, or unwanted items is exactly the kind of misuse that turns a recreational product into a public hazard.
The fire marshal's office is expected to forward the case to the Kennebec County district attorney. Officials have said no timeline is firm, but the report is in its final phase.
The legal outcome will likely hinge on whether prosecutors determine the group's behavior was reckless rather than merely careless. Damage to the vehicle and any surrounding property could also result in restitution orders.
Main Street has returned to normal, with the wreckage removed and only marks on the pavement reflecting the force of the blast. But the investigation remains a reminder that a legal product, placed in the wrong hands and the wrong location, can become a destructive event. The blast in Readfield ended without injuries — a fact that investigators say owes more to luck than judgment.
