Maine man killed after trying to launch firework from top of his head

[octoberlib]

Devon Staples and his friends had been drinking and setting off fireworks on Saturday night in the backyard of a friend’s home in the small eastern Maine city of Calais, said Stephen McCausland, a spokesman for the state department of public safety.

Staples, 22, of Calais, placed a fireworks mortar tube on his head and set it off, McCausland said.

The firework exploded, killing Staples instantly.

His death is the first fireworks fatality in Maine since the state legalised fireworks on 1 January 2012, authorities said.

Calais is on the Canadian border near New Brunswick.

State fire marshals were investigating several other Fourth of July fireworks accidents involving injuries in Friendship, Jefferson, Lebanon and Woodstock. They said most of the accidents involved burns and eye injuries. McCausland said further details were expected to be released later on Sunday.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/05/maine-firework-kills-man-head?CMP=fb_us

[bettyellen]

1. He's actually Florida Man, visiting Maine.

[octoberlib]

3. That's what I was wondering, lol.

[Buns_of_Fire]

18. I've figured out that Florida Man is from a large family, with relatives in every state.

So naturally, they all share the surname "Man". QED.

[Warpy]

2. Darwin Award winner, for sure

Alcohol and explosives, what could possibly go wrong?

I hate the Fourth of July.

[octoberlib]

4. I'm not fond of it anymore , either. It scares my animals.

[Logical]

10. You love making fun of people dying I notice. nt

[Solly Mack]

5. I got nothing.

Damn.

[lpbk2713]

6. "Here. Hold my beer while I ... "

The logical outcome.

Devon Staples and his friends had been drinking and setting off fireworks on Saturday night in the backyard of a friend’s home ...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

20. Being a New Englander I would have thought he would have said --

"Here, hold my Chablis while I..."

[Gothmog]

7. I am so happy that this idiot is not from Texas

[hifiguy]

8. Can't decide who is dumber.

Mr "Fuck the alligators!" or Mr "I'm gonna put explosives on my head, light them and see what happens."

You can't fix that kind of stupid and it usually has consequences.

[underpants]

9. Devon Staples and his friends had been drinking and setting off fireworks on Saturday night

[Initech]

12. Drinking + fireworks generally doesn't end well

[Pool Hall Ace]

11. I feel bad for the poor brother

from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/devon-staples-man-dies-instantly-6009109

His brother Cody Staples saw the horrific incident from just five feet away.

He told the New York Daily Times it was a freak event and Devon had been holding a lighter which made it go off "by accident."

He said: "I was the first one who got there. There was no rushing him to the hospital. There was no Devon left when I got there.

I don't know the first thing about fireworks. Whatever he had must have been pretty powerful, and it sounds like he wouldn't have done something like this if he hadn't been drinking. I wonder if Mr. "F*ck That Alligator" was under the influence.

[octoberlib]

13. Ah, I imagine he was clowning around,flicked

his lighter and it went boom. The other articles made it seem like it was intentional. Tragic. I also wonder about the mortars. Sounds like military ordnance .

[hatrack]

15. "Mortar Shell" in this case means commercial or near-commercial grade fireworks

The stuff you see shoot up 100s of feet at a professional display - that's what this is, or something approaching it. Lots of explosive force.

[octoberlib]

19. Wow. Thanks for the explanation.

[B Calm]

14. Never heard of a marijuana smoker doing something this stupid, but alcohol is legal

in this backwards country and marijuana is not.

[bigwillq]

17. My friends and I used to wrestle while high.

We made our own ring, costumes, props; created names for each character, intro music. I got dropped on my head twice.

[Jamastiene]

16. Poor Florida.

Even when it happens in Maine, it's Florida Man. smh