4 Teenagers Killed After Playing With ‘fake’ Bomb

4 teenagers killed after playing with ‘fake’ bomb in North

OMKOI, Thailand: -- Four students were killed and another injured after they accidentally detonated a bomb yesterday morning. The accident took place while the victims – aged between 14 and 15 years old – were walking to their school in Omkoi district.

Police said the explosion killed Pajortu Sawas-aramruang, Surapol Chartpaisan, Dija Matimahachon and Boonsong Norpaison instantly.

The other victim, Phapuaysu Ontrong, received only minor injuries to his right calf.

“We were walking to our school when Pajortu noticed the bomb.

“At first, we thought it was just a fake,” Phapuaysu said.

He said Pajortu picked up the device, played with it and threw it at friends several times but it did not explode.

“But then, it just went off. I heard the explosive sound and saw my friends flying off in different ways,” the only survivor said.

The explosion also knocked him down, he said, even though he was walking quite a way behind his friends.

“When I got to my feet, I saw my friends covered in blood.

“It was terrifying,” Phapuaysu said.

A passer-by took the boy to hospital and alerted police, who scoured the scene for evidence.

The type of the bomb, which caused the accident, remains unknown.

Provincial Police Region 5 commissioner Lt-General Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya said police would investigate to determine the source of the bomb and scour the area to check if there were any more devices.

--The Nation 2005-11-25