Exploding Chewing Gum Killed Chemistry Student in Freak Accident

by Scott Wu | December 9, 2009 at 02:36 pm

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An exploding chewing gum killed a 25-year-old chemistry student in his home in Ukraine. His mother heard a "loud pop"; the exploding chewing gum blew off his lower jaw. The exploding gum was covered with unidentified, possibly explosive material.

The young man has a habit of dipping chewing gum into citric acid. Investigators found both citric acid packets and an unidentified chemical substance on a table. They believe that the student confused the packets, and put the explosive chewing gum into his mouth.

Officers found both citric acid packets and a similar-looking unidentified substance, believed to be some kind of explosive material, on a table near the body, the agency continued.

Investigators suspect that the student simply confused the packets and put gum covered with explosive material into his mouth.

The student is known by only his first name, Vladimir. He studied chemistry at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute.