Boy killed by 'exploding chewing gum'

[dutchman]

A chemistry student has been found dead in northern Ukraine after an incident involving exploding chewing gum.

The unnamed 25-year-old is believed to have accidentally dipped his gum into some explosive material before putting it in his mouth while working at his parents' home in Konotop, Sky News reports.

An aide to the city's police chief told Ukranews: "A loud pop was heard from the student's room.

"When his relatives entered the room, they saw that the lower part of the young man's face had been blown off."

The Ria Novosti news agency reported that the Kiev Polytechnic Institute student had a habit of dipping his chewing gum in citric acid but had instead dunked the gum in a similar-looking unidentified explosive substance by mistake.