Ukrainian Student Killed By Exploding Chewing Gum

A 25-year-old student in Ukraine has been killed by an exploding stick of chewing gum, according to the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

The student, who attended Ukraine's Kiev Polytechnic Institute and remains unidentified, was apparently working at his parents' house when the incident occurred.

"A loud pop was heard from the student's room," a police officer explained, according to USA Today. "When his relatives entered the room they saw that the lower part of the young man's face had been blown off."

In terms of what might have caused the incident, the Telegraph says the student was apparently working on an experiment and had covered the gum in a chemical solution, possible some type of explosive, before trying to chew it. Ria Novosti reports that the student had the highly unusual habit of chewing gum that he had dipped into citric acid. Police believe the student may have confused the chemical packets he had applied to the gum before chewing.

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