DV_DC

This. It takes two things to set off explosive heat and pressure and OP provided both. Side note GIs used to heat there food with C-4 just light it and it slowly burned however it was well know to never stomp the flame to extinguish it. I always wondered if it really worked.

It works better if you cut the drum in half and put one half in the front and the other in the back yard to get the full effect of being surrounded by the smell of burning shit. For nostalgia of course.

I was in Iraq as well and IMO anything that would cover up the constant shit smell would be welcome. That place is geographically the Fertile Crescent and it stinks the people and/or dictatorship trashed the place. There was still blown up tanks/vehicles from 1990 sitting everywhere. Then we added to it with our own shit. Literal shit. Every morning wake up to the smell of diesel fuel and burning shit. I guess I missed it when I got home I took a shit my yard and set it on fire. I didn't go stomping on that shit though.

So obviously there was no "investigation" and the cause was basically "fucking around with nitroglycerin" Don't beat yourself up about it you seem to be a talented curious individual and at 15 you had to satisfy that curiosity. There are people who do things both risky and/or stupid or not stupid just plain risky and end up way more injured. You're lucky and you should be proud of yourself that you have such a good attitude about your injury and your curiosity and intelligence (ok you had one hiccup in that department but you were only 15 and knew how to make TNT!) will allow you to be successful and happy in your career/life. Thanks for responding and best of luck.

Sources confirm that C-4 can not be detonated by stomping in it while its on fire but you were dealing with something different. Do you think this could have caused the explosion? Was there ever any investigation to why or was it just left up to you were fucking around with nitroglycerin trying to make TNT and left at that?

Forgive me if this was asked, looked through the comments and didn't see. Thanks.