Five Galactically Stupid Mistakes That Could Have Turned Out A Lot Worse

It is human nature to do stupid things, but some people set the bar a little lower than others and these are amongst the finest examples of low bar setting in recent days. Injuries resulted from some of these mistakes, but we can all take comfort in the fact that the people who made them are almost certain not to do so again.

Russian Warship Hits Apartment Block With Dummy Projectile

When a Vladivostok based Russian warship fired a dummy round, the projectile flew a little further than planned; shattering windows and leaving a crater outside a nine-story apartment building.

Fortunately nobody was hurt. Roman Martov, a spokesman for Russia’s Pacific Fleet was quick to explain the situation:

There were no explosives in the dummy shell. The reasons why the rocket-assisted projectile flew a greater distance than it had been assigned are unknown.

It is rather hard to apportion blame in this situation as it is not clear who is responsible, but someone definitely has to get fired.

Gas Station Fire Prank Goes Exactly How You’d Expect

A young man lit a match behind a friend who was filling up his car, resulting in a fireball that left him with burns to 20% of his body. The friend and the woman and child who later emerge from the car were all unhurt.

A quick thinking staff member shut down the pumps, preventing something that was already bad from getting a whole lot worse.

Les Imbéciles: French Artillery Practice Mishap Starts Major Wildfire, Destroys Homes

Practice exercises by the French military started a blaze near the southern city of Marseilles that have already consumed 2,718 acres, burned several dozen homes and left seven people injured.

The finger of blame is being pointed squarely at the 1st Foreign Legion Regiment, who were using tracer rounds at their base. It is believed that an incendiary substance used in the rounds sparked the fires.

According to spokesperson Colonel Benoit Royal:

It was found that tracer rounds were used in violation of orders given. As a result, the army general staff has taken an interim decision to suspend the leader responsible from his duties.

Kid Overdoses On Nicotine Gum

Eating 45 pieces of nicotine gum containing a staggering 90mg of nicotine in less than half an hour is a stupid idea in any book, but 14-year-old Aiden Williams is just as much a victim of stupid policy as he is of his own stupidity.

After eating the gum, Aiden collapsed and complained of stomach pains. He was kept in hospital for 24 hours as a precaution but made a full recovery.

The gum was given to a friend who had been caught smoking by the Drug Education, Counselling and Confidential Advice group, who supply it to children as young as 12 without their parents’ knowledge.

Guy Smokes Next To Propane Tank, Torches Car

Maybe 41-year-old Michael R. Brandt of Coeur d’Alenewasn’t thinking when he lit a cigarette in his car while parked outside a motel. That could possibly explain why he felt the need to smoke while sitting next to a full propane tank.

Brandt was pulled from his burning car by witnesses, he suffered burns and remains in hospital for evaluation.

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