A Nanaimo man suffered injuries to his hand after a can containing gunpowder he poured on a fire exploded while he was holding it.
The incident happened at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at a residence on Spring Place in Harewood.
Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said emergency crews responded to reports of an explosion.
“Two adult males were in the backyard and members learned that one of them had decided that it would be a good idea to pour gunpowder on the fire and, in doing so, the flame from the fire caught onto the gunpowder and went up the gunpowder into a metal container he was pouring it out of,” O’Brien said.
The resulting explosion, O’Brien said, caused “significant lacerations” on the man’s hand and his friend drove him to the hospital where he received stitches.
Police spoke with the individual at the hospital about a still for making alcohol they found in his backyard.
“That was dismantled and he was duly warned,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien said the man was lucky not to have lost his hand or sustained more serious injuries.
“Let’s just say alcohol may have been a contributing factor,” O’Brien said.
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