On Thursday (Jan 30), a young boy in China threw firecrackers into a septic tank, triggering a methane explosion that damaged several nearby vehicles.
One car was even flipped over by the force of the blast.
Explosion Damages Luxury Vehicles
The incident occurred at the China Railway parking lot on Chunlan North Road in Shuinan, Neijiang, Sichuan, where multiple luxury cars were parked.
Surveillance footage captured the boy, seemingly of primary school age, crouching between vehicles. He lit a firecracker, dropped it into a manhole, and quickly left.
Within five seconds, the manhole cover shot into the air, and the grassy parking lot erupted, sending debris flying.
The explosion lifted a Lincoln SUV into the air, flipping it upside down before it crashed next to the crater, according to Taiwanese news outlet ETtoday.
Other vehicles, including an Audi A8 and a Lexus, also suffered damage. The Audi’s side mirror was blown off, while the Lexus sustained a heavily dented front door and a shattered rear side window. Several other cars had minor scratches.
Authorities were alerted after concerned residents reported the explosion. The damaged vehicles have since been removed, and the site has been cordoned off.
Boy Escorted Away After Incident
Fortunately, no one was inside the affected vehicles, and the boy had already left the area when the explosion occurred.
A nearby pedestrian narrowly avoided the blast by just a few seconds.
Witnesses confirmed that there were no casualties.
Given the high value of the damaged vehicles, repair costs are expected to reach hundreds of thousands of yuan. Additionally, significant damage was done to the parking lot’s pavement and underground pipelines, with estimates suggesting total losses could approach one million RMB (S$188,000).
Footage also showed an older woman, believed to be the boy’s guardian, speaking with police as the boy stood beside her.
The boy appeared confused as officers led him into a police vehicle.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with many netizens blaming parental negligence for the costly mishap.
Watch the video here:
Photos: 尚武菌 on Weibo.
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