Cannonball hits home in "MythBusters" TV shoot

A cannonball shot during an experiment gone awry on the television show "MythBusters" crashed into a home in Northern California, but no one was injured, the company behind the program said on Wednesday.

The mishap took place one day earlier during filming at an Alameda County Sheriff's Department bomb range in Dublin, California, which is about 25 miles east of San Francisco.   

"During the testing, a cannonball took an unforeseen bounce from a safety berm," Discovery Channel, which airs the "MythBusters" show, said in a statement.    

Aside from the home that was struck, the cannonball also damaged a parked car, said the cable TV network.   

"MythBusters" is a science show that stars special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, who conduct unusual and occasionally explosive experiments to test the validity of urban myths, such as whether shooting fish in a barrel is as easy as it sounds.      

A representative from Discovery Channel did not immediately respond to an e-mail asking what experiment the show's producers were conducting when the cannonball was fired.     

Sergeant J.D. Nelson of the Alameda County sheriff's department, who is a bomb technician, was present during the firing, Discovery said. Nelson has been a regular safety explosives expert for "MythBusters."     

Discovery said "all proper safety protocol was observed" prior to the incident. A representative for the county sheriff could not be reached for comment.

Reuters