Watched this guy get airlifted out Saturday as well.. its not every day we get the medavac chopper in so had to go gawk. Anyway, after finally getting the official story, would you classify what this guy lit off as a homemade firework or poor attempt at a pipe bomb? It does appear to be "here's your sign" worthy, either way.

42-year-old Charles Harbin of Riverside, Illinois says that he was burned when a homemade firework exploded.

Harbin made the firework out of a paper towel tube and black powder. When he tried to ignite the firework it blew up, injuring his hand, right arm and part of his torso.

He was airlifted to the hospital for treatment.

Sounds like a bomb to me. I would not be surprised if home land security is talking to this guy. There is more then black powder in a fire work. I do not think this guy knew it.

So close to winning a Darwin Award, but only an honorable mention.

amateurs

Probably trying to make a firework, but really didn't know how. Given the area I would be surprised if some government agency did not talk to this guy. From my own experience I can say the FBI on our home soil takes the slightest thing very serious.

I was at a bank during a robbery, never knew it took place, several hours later the FBI visited me at my home, totally prepared with photos. I was questioned for a fairly lengthy time.

Another time I was at a defense contractor in Michigan picking up scrap. I saw an M-1 tank on a RR track, curious I went over to take a look, didn't get within a few feet and sirens were blasting. Don't recall the agency, but they were on site, I was questioned for quite a while before being releasing.

Probably trying to make a firework, but really didn't know how. Given the area I would be surprised if some government agency did not talk to this guy. From my own experience I can say the FBI on our home soil takes the slightest thing very serious.

I was at a bank during a robbery, never knew it took place, several hours later the FBI visited me at my home, totally prepared with photos. I was questioned for a fairly lengthy time.

Another time I was at a defense contractor in Michigan picking up scrap. I saw an M-1 tank on a RR track, curious I went over to take a look, didn't get within a few feet and sirens were blasting. Don't recall the agency, but they were on site, I was questioned for quite a while before being releasing.

Its like that here in Kuwait even we well the MP's because I don't give a dam lol take everything seriously no camera's or phones any where at any time they freak and come take the thing and question the hell out of you. I'v been to a few facility's here that are just awesome so many cool "toys" but watched like a hawk and I had to jump threw alot of hoops just to be able to tour the place the rest of my guys sat in the truck I was the only one besides a few Sgt's that had a security clearance high enough to go and see what we did not that its really a secret I thought.

If half these agency's that are out there now were around when I was a kid not that it was a long time ago but we used to make pipe bombs and blow stuff up all the time the bigger boom the better.

Probably trying to make a firework, but really didn't know how.

He was definately trying to make a firework, I would still classify it as a pipe bomb. I don't know or really care which government agency questions him, dumb drunk tourists are a part of life for us most of the summer. From what I heard there was no fuse, he just lit the tube in his hand

Sounds like a bomb to me. I would not be surprised if home land security is talking to this guy. There is more then black powder in a fire work. I do not think this guy knew it.

I was thinking BATF will pay him a visit. I dont think he has the FFL (I dont remember the classification level) license to build that type of stuff.

Darwin works in predictable ways