One man injured after potato gun explodes in North Lincoln

Posted By: Channel 8 Eyewitness News

8@klkntv.com

UPDATE:

A potato gun exploded in the hands of a Lincoln man Tuesday morning outside a home near 48th and Adams.
 
"Potato gun is a term people refer to as a homemade gun whether it be made out of metal or PVC," said LFR investigator Damon Robbins.

Homemade potato guns usually have flammable gas, like hairspray, at the base. When lit, they shoot of whatever’s inside–stereotypically a potato. Tuesday’s mis-fire joins a list of four other homemade bomb injuries in Lincoln this month.
 
"The PVC pipe shattered," Robbins said. "It may have worked a few times for them but at some point it’s going to fail and when it fails it’s going to release a lot of pressure; a lot of fragmentation, and both those can cause serious injury."

Lincoln Fire and Rescue says homemade explosives aren’t reliable. Even if they last a few detonations, the stress will eventually weaken the pipe or metal used to hold the explosion. You can be seriously hurt by the shrapnel and flammable liquid in a bad blast, even to the point of amputation.
 
"In a split second, you can have a life changing moment," Robbins said.

Not only are homemade explosives dangerous, they’re also illegal. You can only shoot legal fireworks off July 3rd and 4th–it’s never okay to detonate a homemade explosive within Lincoln city limits.
 

A man was taken to the hospital after his potato gun exploded.

Lincoln Fire & Rescue, as well as Lincoln Police, are on the scene of a firework injury just north of 48th & Adams.

We’re told that a homemade device, similar to a potato gun, exploded in a person’s hand.

The victim was transferred to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

We’ll bring you more details when they are made available.