Annie Walton Doyle
A 25-year-old Ukrainian student met a tragic fate after a chewing gum explosion in his mouth, leading to catastrophic injuries.
The incident occurred in 2009 while Vladimir Likhonos was studying at a branch of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
This unfortunate event underscores the potential dangers associated with mishandling chemicals, especially in academic settings.
People have been left shocked by the story, with one penning: “We need to ban gum now. Take away everyone’s gum!”
“Apparently this happens all the time,” a second theorizes.
A third argues: “That is not an everyday occurrence that you hear about.”
According to police spokeswoman Elvira Biganova, the incident was described as an accident that anyone could have made in similar circumstances, per CTV News.
At the time, Likhonos was working with explosive chemicals as part of his studies and is believed to have mistakenly confused a highly volatile explosive substance with citric acid.
The latter was a familiar compound for him, often used to enhance the flavor of his chewing gum during his lab work.
The powder that caused this horrifying accident was located at Likhonos’s workstation and closely resembled citric acid, which is commonly used in various foods and beverages to impart a sour taste.
Biganova noted that during the incident, the student’s chewing gum exploded, resulting in severe injuries that included the loss of half of his face.
She explained: “It blew off Likhonos’ jaw and most of the lower part of his face.”
This incident left him in critical condition.
When emergency responders arrived, they quickly realized the extent of Likhonos’s injuries was incompatible with survival.
Biganova remarked (per the Independent): “Even some of our seasoned officers, who have seen a thing or two, even they were pretty badly shaken up by what they found.”
Investigators initiated a thorough examination of Likhonos’s workspace, discovering approximately 3.5 ounces (around 100 grams) of the explosive material.
Although the powder resembled citric acid, its identity had not yet been confirmed.
Biganova expressed her condolences for Likhonos, emphasizing that ‘anybody could have mixed them up.’
A bomb squad was called to the scene to analyze the explosive material.
It was determined that the substance was too volatile to be safely transported, raising further concerns about safety protocols within the lab.
Reports indicated that Likhonos had unknowingly dipped his gum into a powder that was reportedly four times more powerful than TNT.
The specifics of the incident’s location have sparked some confusion, with mixed reports on whether Likhonos was in the university lab or at home when the explosion occurred.
One account suggested that his brother discovered his body in their residence after hearing a loud bang. Tatyana Kushnerova, an assistant to the head of the Konotop city police department, stated that Likhonos sustained his fatal injuries the moment the “chewing bomb” detonated in his mouth.
Irina Lisovskaya, deputy dean of the chemical engineering faculty at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, expressed her sorrow upon hearing the news of Likhonos’s death.
She reflected on his academic performance, stating to the outlet, Zhytomyr (per UNILAD): “He got an A in chemistry, but his grades in other subjects were average.”
Lisovskaya elaborated that although Likhonos was not a poor student, he had been expelled from the university the previous year for failing to defend his diploma thesis.
She added: “It’s a shame he died. But they don’t teach how to make bombs at KPI!”
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