Death by Rocket 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-020628rocket-story.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2Dhed
Skyrocket explodes, kills suburban man
By Stanley Ziemba
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 28, 2002, 4:11 PM CDT
A 50-year-old Melrose Park man who apparently was trying to shoot off fireworks with a homemade launcher at a Romeoville industrial plant was killed early this morning when a rocket struck him and exploded, causing massive injuries.
The victim, identified by Romeoville police as Ted J. Kloc, was an employee of Material Services Corp., 125 Independence Blvd. He was taken by ambulance to Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m., according to Romeoville Police Lt. Mark Turvey.
Turvey said police were called to the plant shortly after midnight and found Kloc unconscious and with massive injuries to the top half of his body.
"Apparently, he was experimenting with some kind of homemade rocket launcher just outside the plant," Turvey said. "From what we’ve been able to determine so far, he loaded the launcher with some kind of fireworks rocket device and then lit it.
"When the rocket didn't go off right away, he apparently leaned over the launcher," Turvey said. "Then, suddenly, the rocket went off. It struck him and exploded, causing massive injuries."
Turvey said police are investigating whether Kloc brought the rocket launcher onto the Material Services site or it was made at the plant. Efforts to reach company officials were unsuccessful.
The death appeared to be accidental, according to a spokesman for Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil. An autopsy was to be conducted today, and inquest into the death will be held on a yet to be determined date, he said. Submitted on 06/29/2002
Submitted by:
John Birch
Reference:
Chicago Tribune, June 29, 2002
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