Man shoots off firework from top of his head, dies instantly

[Teddy B 17,251]

This will be sure to make this years Darwin Awards.

I also want to say that it was pure coincidence that I was in Maine when this incident took place.

CALAIS, Maine (AP) — A 22-year-old man who was drinking and celebrating the Fourth of July tried to launch a firework off the top of his head, killing him instantly, authorities said Sunday.

Devon Staples and his friends had been drinking and setting off fireworks Saturday night in the backyard of a friend's home in eastern Maine, said Stephen McCausland, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety.

Staples, 22, of Calais, a small city on the Canadian border, placed a reloadable fireworks mortar tube on his head and told his friends he was going to light it, McCausland said. But his friends urged him to stop.

"Apparently, he thought that was a great idea," McCausland said. "His friends they thought dissuaded him from doing it, and the next thing they knew, he ignited the fireworks and he was killed instantly."

Staples's brother Cody told the Daily News of New York that he was a few feet away when his brother lit the firework and was the first to come to his side after it exploded.

"There was no rushing him to the hospital. There was no Devon left when I got there," said 25-year-old Cody Staples, who called it an accident.

"Devon was not the kind of person who would do something stupid. He was the kind of person who would pretend to do something stupid to make people laugh," he said.

Staples' death is the first fireworks fatality in Maine since the state legalized fireworks on Jan. 1, 2012, authorities said.

Lawmakers had voted to repeal a 1949 law banning fireworks, reasoning the industry would create jobs and generate revenue.

State fire marshals were also 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.

In Montana on Saturday, a 32-year-old man was killed at a Billings home in a fireworks accident involving a mortar tube.

And in New Jersey, a 52-year-old man blew off a large piece of his left leg below the knee when he set off a tennis-ball sized firework in Leonia.

http://news.yahoo.com/police-man-shoots-off-firework-top-head-dies-135937499.html#

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

http://news.yahoo.com/mom-man-died-fireworks-accident-says-rules-too-205543867.html

His mother is trying to get more strict laws in place. I'm sorry, but you can't fix stupid...

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Damn, and I would've been betting he's from Florida. Im surprised

http://news.yahoo.com/mom-man-died-fireworks-accident-says-rules-too-205543867.html

His mother is trying to get more strict laws in place. I'm sorry, but you can't fix stupid...

Where's her gofundme page? ;p

[VOL 425]

Damn, and I would've been betting he's from Florida. Im surprised

Where's her gofundme page? ;p

www.mysonisadumbass.com

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Damn, and I would've been betting he's from Florida. Im surprised

Where's her gofundme page? ;p

There's no way putting an explosive on your head and lighting it was going to go well. But I've seen folks do things and because of it, everyone suffers.

I don't see a gofundme page, but I do see tighter regulation coming, maybe...

[Darnell 8,478]

That's it. Ban Friends. <EOM>

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

They just lifted the ban on Fireworks other than sparklers etc her in GA. I was listing to the scanner during the Holiday. All the PO PO was doing was answering fireworks calls. Well that and preventing gang riots at Wal*mart

There's no way putting an explosive on your head and lighting it was going to go well. But I've seen folks do things and because of it, everyone suffers.

I don't see a gofundme page, but I do see tighter regulation coming, maybe...

Gonna suck for the responsible fireworks users. Kinda like when criminoles use guns, the Majority of law abiding owners have to sufer.

Same thing right ?

studies show that if you use fireworks or have them in your home, your chances of a fireworks accident go up.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

They just lifted the ban on Fireworks other than sparklers etc her in GA. I was listing to the scanner during the Holiday. All the PO PO was doing was answering fireworks calls. Well that and preventing gang riots at Wal*mart

Gonna suck for the responsible fireworks users. Kinda like when criminoles use guns, the Majority of law abiding owners have to suffer.

Same thing right ?

studies show that if you use fireworks or have them in your home, your chances of a fireworks accident go up.

criminoles? Is that a combination of criminal and "A-something-holes" ??? because if it is I vote two thumbs up.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

They just lifted the ban on Fireworks other than sparklers etc her in GA. I was listing to the scanner during the Holiday. All the PO PO was doing was answering fireworks calls. Well that and preventing gang riots at Wal*mart

Gonna suck for the responsible fireworks users. Kinda like when criminoles use guns, the Majority of law abiding owners have to sufer.

Same thing right ?

studies show that if you use fireworks or have them in your home, your chances of a fireworks accident go up.

Are we comparing gun deaths to fireworks deaths?

[Robby999 1,024]

I would be willing to bet that this isn't his first dumb stunt, but it was his last for sure. It wouldn't surprise me if his family had his plot and casket picked out and paid for years ago, just waiting until the law of odds caught up with him.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

criminoles? Is that a combination of criminal and "A-something-holes" ??? because if it is I vote two thumbs up.

No it's in reference to a certain college football team that calls Tallahassee Fl home.

Are we comparing gun deaths to fireworks deaths?

No we are comparing restricting fireworks becuse of the actions of a few to retrecting guns because of the actions of people who do not already follow the law

[Jacque67 7,328]

Bet drugs were involved!

[CowBoE 429]

I just saw the news on CNN that another man tried this off the chest and died also.

[VOL 425]

Bet drugs were involved!

I am sure some type, maybe beer

Watch this crackhead, good stuff here

[Jacque67 7,328]

I am sure some type, maybe beer

Watch this crackhead, good stuff here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TBOt6HzH3g

Boo! Didn't get to see the taser!