Connecticut Candlestick
2018 Honorable Mention
Confirmed True by Darwin
(6 September 2018, Connecticut) After confusing a stick of dynamite with a wax candle, a woman was hospitalized for extreme burn injuries. How did it happen that she accidentally sparked up a quarter-stick of dynamite?
Confirmed True by Darwin
Well, Home Depot was closed during a power outage, so the woman went down into the basement to rummage around in search of a light. In the junk left behind by the house's former owners she found what she was looking for - a rod-shaped object with a fuse. What a relief, now the darkness would be banished ... and, Ka-boom!
The woman survived lighting the dynamite like a roman candle - no Darwin Award - yet with wits like that, does she not deserve an Honorable Mention? Or should we agree with the local Fire Marshall who called it a tragic accident? Would an average five-year-old know better than to light that "wick"? Or were the careless former residents at fault for leaving a blasting stick in the basement?
"Honorable Mentions" are awarded to survivors of a misadventure that stops short of the ultimate sacrifice. A consolation prize, a better-luck-next-time badge. Please vote on whether the Connecticut Candle wins the honor.
