'Military' Ammo Burns Down Texas Gun Range

Whoops: A guy firing military-style bullets sparked a four-alarm fire yesterday that burned down a gun range in Dallas, KVUE reports. About 50 people escaped the range unharmed, but the one-story building was toast and a firefighter suffered from smoke inhalation. Witnesses heard stored ammunition "popping" inside as fire swept through the building. It all started when the shooter fired unauthorized tracer ammo, which boasts an easy-to-follow flare—but that likely started the fire when it hit the target.

"It flares up a little bit, and whenever you fire the insides of that backing at a gun range, they can easily catch that backing on fire," said a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman. The shooter probably won't face criminal prosecution because he didn't break the law, but the range owner could file civil charges. What's more, nearby ground water may be contaminated by lead from bullets that melted in the blaze, reports Raw Story. (More tracer ammunition stories.)