Ventura teacher’s hand severed when paperweight explodes
`Part of a teacher’s hand was blown off when a 40 mm round the instructor used as a paperweight on his desk exploded in his classroom.
Robert Colla struck the round with an object Monday afternoon while teaching 20 to 25 students at the Ventura Adult Education Center on Valentine Road.
Part of Colla’s right hand was severed and he suffered severe burns and minor shrapnel wounds to his forearms and torso, fire Capt. Tom Weinell said. No one else was injured. [..]
Colla found the 40 mm round while hunting years ago, Huston [another teacher] said. He used it as a paperweight and “obviously he didn’t think the round was live,” Huston said.’
