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

[Rimmer]

Another nasty troll post removed

[bluemoonpattaya]

very sad to see the video. but the firework appears to be upside down. when he lights the fuse, you can see its on the top. this is the base of the firework. 

these fireworks are for displays, not street fireworks 

[3NUMBAS]

theres been a few others over the years that had their head blown off ..thai and farangs

[hottrader77]

9 hours ago, JimmyTheMook said:

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

 

 

1st rule dont bend over a bomb like devise and light it , it tells you all the time in uk at bonfire night , he has not taken heed

[Aussiepeter]

Well done bluemoonpattaya ! As I wrote on another post yesterday about this horrible event, I am a retired UXO technician and explosives Officer with 30+ years in the army working with stuff that went bang. I have looked at this video several times, trying to get an idea of what went wrong, apart from him leaning over it. Then you hit on it - It is probably upside down ! The device he set off is known as a Chinese mortar, or star-shell. Ex infantry will know all about them. It has TWO explosive devices inside - the first is a smaller propellant charge, which when lit then sets off a primary explosion that launches the main explosive, about 250g of compressed gunpowder in a lacquered cardboard ball (about cricket ball size) hundreds of feet into the air, where it then bursts in the second explosion. Iron filings etc make it pretty. It is commercial grade. If set off upside down, the entire thing becomes a huge bomb, as the projectile (and its' energy) can't be released so it all goes off at once. The only good thing to come from this terrible incident is that no innocent bystanders were injured. Rest in peace young man - (it would have been swift.)

[EricTh]

I don't know why people still like to play with fireworks when it is so dangerous.

 

During new year's eve, my neighbourhood went crazy with fireworks, I was afraid some houses would be burnt.

 

People don't seem to realize that fireworks are dangerous both to human lives and houses.

 

Leave it to the experts.

Edited January 2, 2020 by EricTh

[Jingthing]

It's all been said and nobody needs another RIP but I will say these things.

 

While an obvious to watchers massive temporary mistake became permanent I see a man that was obviously a good egg. He was owning the fate of that misbehaving rocket, should have backed off, but the impulse wasn't bad.

 

Also based on his bio he was a risk taker enjoying life in ways more careful people never will. The end result is always the same. Good for him for enjoying the life that he did have.

[patrick1968]

Very Sad , R.I.P 

[sawadee1947]

It is indeed a very sad story. And condolences to the family.

However.....Who is to blame? The vendor who put this bomb together or the buyer who wanted to have fun?

Should you not know the danger of explosives with 51?

I hope this accident will be broadcasted nationwide in many countries to alert people to stop buying fireworks. (and if then stay away from those in Thailand at least)

 

[richard_smith237]

Its all been said, from RIP, a good guy died due to terrible lapse in judgement... and yes, I hope he is resting in peace and with time his fiancé can overcome this tragedy.

 

All of that said, this was an incredibly daft thing to do... lighting the firework, turning it upside down, then reading the instructions with face close to the firework to check if its upside down or not, then Bang !!! 

Tragic, but also a tragically stupid thing to do - quite he wasn’t thinking clearly, drunk... 

 

What shocked me the most was the manner in which a large firework was placed in the street with people walking past... anything could have happened, the firework could have tipped over and hurt innocent people nearby etc... its lucky no one else was hurt.

 

All in all an extremely daft example of behavior with tragic consequences, I hope never to witness anything like this again either in person or on camera. 

 

 

[Maestro]

Removed two incomprehensible posts.

[balo]

RIP , it's a tragedy, but waiting to happen.  From what I read he was a clever, intelligent man , and he did not look too drunk to me in the video. 

Why he did it nobody knows. 

 

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

 What exactly was he thinking ? A. Putting his head over an explosive device and B. what if it had fallen over and shot it's contents into the nearby bars and people ? 

Good point, could burn the whole decrepit street down. Wasn't there a zoo enclosure burned down in Germany killing all the apes after NYE fireworks?  

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Good point, could burn the whole decrepit street down. Wasn't there a zoo enclosure burned down in Germany killing all the apes after NYE fireworks?  

Soi Post Office. 

One of the busiest soi in Pattaya. 

 

Lucky there weren't more casualties 

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

One of the busiest soi in Pattaya.

Well not really, hardly compares to WS or Buakhao does it? But not the place for a fire. (Looks busy due to 3 rows of parked up rental motorcycles 24/7 )

[samsensam]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Good point, could burn the whole decrepit street down. Wasn't there a zoo enclosure burned down in Germany killing all the apes after NYE fireworks?  

 

sadly this appears to have been an accident waiting to happen:

 

- the decision to acquire such a large firework

- the decision to set off such a large firework in the middle of a street with people, vehicles and businesses all around
- the decision to light and then stand over, looking down on, the firework.

 

according to news reports the fire in germany, that resulted in the deaths of several animals, was due to sky lanterns released by members of the public

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/02/german-zoo-fire-three-women-hand-themselves-in-to-police

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

43 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

54 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

One of the busiest soi in Pattaya.

Well not really, hardly compares to WS or Buakhao does it? But not the place for a fire. (Looks busy due to 3 rows of parked up rental motorcycles 24/7 )

You're obviously not a native English speaker - "One of the busiest"

 

Buakhao and WS are seasonally busy and certain times of the day busy, Post Office is always busy. 

[Rimmer]

More troll posts removed

[Tarteso]

18 hours ago, starky said:

Young? Doubt it and definitely old enough to know better.

 

Well,  Whatever I tried to express and criticize is the sensationalism of the press towards a being who has lost his life publishing a video of his last moments.

IMO To die at 51 is to die young and you should respect my little prayer towards this man.  (RIP young man)...Another question is whether it was reckless. 

[DennisE]

I was watching the video of what happened and you never ever stand over the tube like that even if it is a dud which it obviously wasn’t it might’ve been stuck in the tube but I don’t think so it looks like maybe the fuse was delayed a few seconds or something and maybe he thought it was a dud and then as he started starring down the tube which you should NEVER DO it looks like it did actually launch just at the wrong second and that’s probably exactly how he died judging by the video. Very unfortunate! Watching the video I just want to walk up behind him and just say “hey back up away from the tube a little bit”. Just that probably would have been enough to prevent this tragedy just back away from the tube and NEVER EVER STAND OVER THE TUBE LIKE THAT! If it does go off on the ground if you’re standing to close you’re probably just going to get burned possibly bad but yeah standing over the tube like that starring down into it that’s certain death if that thing hits you in the face which it looks like that’s probably what happened here it ain’t gonna be good that kind of pyrotechnic packs a hell of a punch. Even if you did actually survive that you’d probably be blinded at least probably worse after an accident like that. He did do exactly what you’re never supposed to do when handling that specific kind, I’ve used that one several times since 2000 all over the world and it’s definitely not a toy if you mishandle that one it can kill just as effectively as a gun or a bomb which it did. 

[DennisE]

If it had exploded in the tube on the ground which it shouldn’t do he probably only would’ve been burned but I think it did pop up and hit him in the face as he was starring at it. That’s what it looks like happened in the video. That’s gotta be how he died that damn thing probably launched into his face. That’s why you NEVER stand over the tube like that! 

Edited January 3, 2020 by DennisE

[Jonathan Fairfield]

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