Man killed by beer keg explosion

Canoe ^ | October 23, 2006

[Squawk 8888]

NEW MILFORD, Conn. (AP) - Investigators were trying to determine who tossed a beer keg into a burning barrel at a party, causing a deadly explosion that sent metal shards slicing through a crowd of people, police said.

The explosion early Sunday killed Sean Caselli, 22, of New Milford. Seven other people were taken to hospitals with burns and shrapnel wounds, police said. Caselli was struck in the neck by a piece of flying metal.

Police Sgt. Lee Grabner said investigators interviewed witnesses Sunday to try to identify the person who threw a quarter-keg of beer into the flames, and to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.

Fires had been set in several barrels to keep people warm at the outdoor party in western Connecticut, said Police Captain Michael Mrazik.

"This is a certain tragedy," said Police Chief Colin McCormack. "However, nothing I have been apprised of to this point in this investigation, which I caution is at the very early states, indicates a deliberate act on anyone's part."

[Herakles]

We're going to have to cut off your supply of Freerepublic, you obviously had way too much.

[meyer]

Boyle's Law

Had the top been removed from the keg prior to it being placed in the fire, it might have been boil's law. ;)

[Doctor Stochastic]

I didn't know that Angie had her own newspaper.

[zeke15]

never let someone throw a can of tuna in the fire if your tent is nearby

[meyer]

Fawn Lebowitz!

[Junior]

"Taps" will be played at the funeral...

[Toby06]

LOL, good.

[HOTTIEBOY]

Myth Busters once tested some pressurized gas containers (they shot them with rifles). Turns out that they rarely explode - instead they become rockets and bounce all over the place as the gas jets out.

Me and my brother once painted a room in psychedelic fashion by shooting paint cans with a .22 through a crack in the door.
"Hey man watch this"

[CFC__VRWC]

I saw a guy toss a can of white spray paint into a fire once. When it went off, a pickup truck parked near the fire got a pretty good coating of white paint droplets all over the outer bed on the driver's side (the truck was not white, BTW). The paint-tosser got a pretty good ass kicking for that.

[RichInOC]

"...Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Fireball! Fireball!..."

[Toby06]

We're going to have to cut off your supply of Freerepublic, you obviously had way too much.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got off a 3-day break.

[GSlob]

Well, once a not-quite empty oxygen cylinder [steel, full size cylinder] ended up in a fire- some wood was piled around it and ignited. There was a nice small crater left, and one half of that cylinder was later found about 300 yards distant. Second half mysteriously dissipated, after its shards passed through a couple of idiots in the immediate vicinity of that fire.

[dfwgator]

I read the headline was "Sophomore Dies in Kiln Explosion" (Fawn Liebowitz).

That minx! She was going to make a pot for me.

[Chena]

While the headline brings some obvious jokes to mind, the article itself removes any attempts I may have made at humor. A young man is dead, and seven others were seriously injured with burns and shrapnel. Prayers for the family and friends of them all. If that son was my son, I do believe I'd be very angry at anyone who thought this was funny.

[spanalot]

They probably had warning when the concave parts expanded out - still , surprised there is not a pressure relief system on those - must of blown like the old time boilers.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

What a waste of beer. Unless it was Budweiser.

Still....I feel bad for the kid's family.

[Toby06]

There was a salvage store that used to sell spraypaint mix & match for a dime a can. That made awesome .22 targets, but I never tried it inside.

[cjshapi]

That was bad!

[Toby06]

never let someone throw a can of tuna in the fire if your tent is nearby

Especially in bear country.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Are you sure it wasn't an ILLEGAL ALIEN?