Charles Darwin at a green chalkboard.

2007 Darwin Awards

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? Honoring Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool--by removing themselves from it in the most spectacular way possible.

Fatal Foaming Action
2007 Darwin Award Winner
Unconfirmed by Darwin

(10 March 2007, Scotland) James, 26, was working on a new house when, according to early reports, "The operative picked up [a cannister of insulating foam] and gave it a shake as recommended. A pressure explosion occurred when the can burst.) The bottom section hit him on the chest [and] crumpled and wrinkled to some six inches, resulting in his death."

Because of this misleading initial report, a safety alert was issued, warning of the potential for cans of expanding foam to undergo lethal decompression. But the warning was retracted when it was discovered that James had, for reasons unknown, applied a blowtorch to the pressurized 500-ml cannister, causing the lethal malfunction.

Darwin notes, "This event is tentatively confirmed. A legitimate newspaper states that a man died from an exploding can of insulation. But the detail that he was using a blowtorch was gleaned from an eyewitness account, and a statement attributed to the product manufacturer."

Reader Comments:
"Insulated against lifes (future) adventures."

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Submitted by: Grant
Reference: Costain Construction Warning, British Aerosol Manufacturers update

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