Kitsap Mishap, Pipe Bomb 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
Well, they didn't die, so it's an honorable mention at best. SFG
KING5.com
SUQUAMISH, Kitsap County, Wash. - A teen was airlifted to a Seattle hospital Monday evening with serious injuries after using fireworks to build a home-made pipebomb.
North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were called to a home shortly after 9:00pm, where they found smoke pouring from the house's garage. The most seriously injured, an 18 year-old male, was bleeding severely and lost at least one finger from his left hand. He had burns to his face and deep lacerations to his left arm and wrist, chest, abdomen and thigh.
He is in stable condition at Harborview Medical Center
Another 18 year-old male suffered lacerations to his chest and legs, and was taken to Bremerton's Harrison Memorial Hospital. Two other people present were not seriously injured.
They told crews that they had been stuffing parts of common ("safe and sane") fireworks into a copper pipe in an effort to make an explosive device - at least the second one that they'd made that day. Earlier, the group told officials, they'd successfully detonated a similar one on the beach.
When the blast occured, the most seriously injured man had been holding the device with his left hand while attempting to crimp its end by pounding on it with a hammer.
More than 8,500 injuries are caused by fireworks every year in the United States with 97 percent of the harm suffered in incidents involving private or amateur use.
Suquamish Tribal Police and the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office are investigating. Although the individual components used in this incident aren't prohibited, according to a bomb technician with the Sheriff's office, the use of any materials with the purpose of constructing a bomb comprises a felony offense under both state and federal laws.
Submitted on 07/05/2002
Submitted by:
Steve Gardner
Reference:
King5.com 7/4/02
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