Video: Last moments of tragic Brit killed by firework - fiancee posts about upcoming wedding that never was

[Tapster]

I had one firework for NYE.

It was exactly like the one shown in the photo: same dimensions and same length of fuse. It was Chinese, of course.

I lit the fuse and moved away immediately. Good job too, because three seconds later the whole thing went up in one go, with a massive bang.

I was expecting some sort of repeater roman candle, but this was essentially a bomb, with very few visuals and a lot of explosion.

That poor bloke!
 

Here's a non-gory, blurry but un-pixellated video showing the moment of detonation. His face can't be more than four inches from the top of the firework!

 

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-national-news/news-asia-thailand/briton-killed-in-pattaya-after-fireworks-explode-in-his-face/

 

RIP

Edited January 2, 2020 by Tapster

[Kadilo]

Anyone who has been on Soi 6 for their NYE celebs will have seen rockets of this kind lined up down the Soi, firecrackers zig zagging all the way down with people dancing over them. 

These bombs sell for a few hundred baht all evening. 

How there are not more deaths every year is a mystery because there is absolutely no consideration for safety. And of course it is mostly foreigners buying them because they have the money. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

Heartbreaking... what was he thinking?

R.I.P

He wasn't... that's the real tragedy!!

[Bigz]

4 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

If you ever want to be cured of the urge to play with fireworks, go camp out at the entrance to any hospital emergency room on New Year's Eve and watch all the idiots walk thru with blown-off fingers and other life-altering injuries. 

Or just watch this video

[tomauasia]

Thai translation. Extremely well liked because he worked for the GP. You have to be crazy go near this stuff that's unlicensed.

He has only himself to blame. Madness 

 

[MasterBaker]

A few years ago i witnessed another Brit lighting large rocket in Jomtien soi. it fell on the side and shot into opposite bar. Likely, nobody was injured. Just before police arrived some money exchanged hands and incident was over. Guess this one was not very fortunate, but others could be killed

[IraqRon]

very sad also that apparently not one of his friends partying with him and seeing his actions did not try to stop him, some just recording away.  I hope they are feeling some remorse for their lack of care, probably due to alcohol consumption.

[Jack Cook]

Horrible and such an avoidable tragedy. What would possess someone to do something so stupid?

[Tounge Thaied]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

very sad and sounded like a really nice guy

 

 

fireworks that size in a busy street, very easy to knock over (as I mentioned already) and go off into a packed bar or people walking past - it really is stupidity beyond comprehension 

 

but what Gary did is on a whole different level

 

tragic

 

RIP

Free... dumb. Does have its consequences. The human mind needs to be reminded from time to time that stupidity does have consequences. 

What if the family got together with the Thai government to use this, spin this into a good safety awareness campaign? This tragic death should not go to waste. 

[Flemo]

That was a bit like looking down a hose to see if the water is coming. Not the smartest move but a sad ending.

[Burgerburner]

Very sad RIP 

[Rimmer]

More troll posts removed

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, Barry343 said:

Once lit step well away, never try to relight if it has not exoloded.

 

I learned this as a kid, even with tiny fireworks let alone these massive things. He might have been, as those who know him have said, a top bloke, but what the hell was he thinking? Was alcohol involved or was he just stupid, so stupid it cost him his life. And didn't anyone there warm him that what he was doing was dangerous?

Edited January 2, 2020 by Bangkok Barry

[Tchooptip]

I think the firework was upside down! At least it is the opinion of the Thais around who saw the video!

[Leaver]

The sad thing is, if you said, "Gary, would you look down the barrel of a carburetor on a motorbike engine that you had just primed with fuel, and are about to turn the ignition key to start the engine?" 

 

His answer would have been an obvious, "No." 

 

Yet, from the video, that's pretty much what he has done. 

 

Lack of experience, handling explosives, and alcohol, a deadly combination. 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Leaver

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

Too be fair not everybody is experienced with fireworks, add a few drinks and you could easily make a mistake.

 

He was a Brit, and every Brit has a fireworks party as a kid on 5th November. He would have had a life-time of experience with them, although not the lethal and illegal ones in Thailand. And he would have been told as a kid never to stand over a firework and never to try and re-light one. But he rolled the dice anyway, and lost.

[aussienam]

Leading up to New Years Eve I was sitting at a bar having a quiet one when I was approached by someone selling exactly the one shown in the picture.  The 'boy' in me wanted to buy it as I reminisced my youth and the fun I had lighting firecrackers.  But thankfully I declined.  A different decision and inebriation with a lighter in hand and lapse of clear judgment and any one of us could have had our lives ended.  

The Thai Police should be/hopefully have been trawling CCTV everywhere to see who were selling these ridiculously large dangerous crackers.  The types where you would need a pyrotechnic licence to operate, not in the hands of jovial, care-free drunken expats/tourists.  

[IraqRon]

that headline is so off the charts so to speak.  The wedding was set for the future so how can it have been "never was"??  Never to be or something like that I would think.

[holy cow cm]

If you look the guy flipped the firework to the up side down position before lighting it. Ofcourse it would blow up.

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

Too be fair not everybody is experienced with fireworks, add a few drinks and you could easily make a mistake. And these things can be unpredictable.

The other night I lit off a firework which had six chambers that went of in sequence. We were in a safe place and it was level ground. regardless the first blast knocked the thing over, and then it was shooting the rest in random directions at head height. and they were exploding in our range.  I was there with five kids. Nothing to do but hope you don't get hit. The kids loved it though.

 

 

And that sums it up.

 

On this occasion it ended well, but it so easily could have gone wrong and pleasure turned to horror.

 

Probably, 99 times out of 100, the poor guy in Pattaya would have got away with this but fate just had it that day.

[CARLO BALDASSARRE]

 Feeling sorry for the finacee, 

 We had about 25 large firework bombers in isaan sang kha , an never ever leaned over any of them ..all worked fine just have to wait for some of them for the wick to go down inside the  pyro.

I was INTOXICATED and left it to the guys who weren't drinking to do the firing ...

Edited January 2, 2020 by CARLO BALDASSARRE

[frequentatore]

People pretend to care about the environment...

Fireworks should be banned all over the world.

[JohanB]

15 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

If you look the guy flipped the firework to the up side down position before lighting it. Ofcourse it would blow up.

Yes, he flipped it up side down!

He probably thought it was a rocket and the fuse were much longer.....

I’ve shot many similar 3”’s and the fuse is allways in the bottom.

I usally tie them with steel wire on to a piece of reebar hammered  in the soil. If just standing alone, they turn over very easy.

 

[mick01827]

I can't believe I've just watched a grown man light a firework then stick his face in it???????? RIP fella

[nickmondo]

Sorry you died mate.

But what were you thinking of?

A firework like that in a street?

Leaning over the thing?

I would say, let this be a lesson to others thinking of doing the same, but seriously, this is stupidity beyond belief, so I doubt anyone else would do this.

Having said that.....a few beers......who knows what people will do.

RIP.

 

[gerritkaew]

that was he thinking???   iff you see this, how can someone be smart and that stupid.  

[tifino]

from an educational standpoint...

this could easily become a programme subject on television

(Seconds from Disaster)

[tomauasia]

7 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Note to self: don't lean over huge bombs after lighting them.

 

 

Yes absolutely stupid. Sorry but true

[tomauasia]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

very sad and sounded like a really nice guy

 

 

fireworks that size in a busy street, very easy to knock over (as I mentioned already) and go off into a packed bar or people walking past - it really is stupidity beyond comprehension 

 

but what Gary did is on a whole different level

 

tragic

 

RIP

AGREED the brain was left in the bar

[tomauasia]

7 hours ago, fittobethaied said:

If you ever want to be cured of the urge to play with fireworks, go camp out at the entrance to any hospital emergency room on New Year's Eve and watch all the idiots walk thru with blown-off fingers and other life-altering injuries. 

Take the GO PRO