Chimney-Cleaning Grenade

2005 Darwin Award Winner
Confirmed True by Darwin


(13 January 2005, Croatia)

One fateful afternoon, 55-year-old Marko retreated to his semi-detached workshop to make himself a tool for chimney cleaning. The chimney was too high for a simple broom to work, but if he could attach a brush to a chain and then weigh it down with something, that would do the trick. But what could he use as a weight?
He happened to have the perfect object. It was heavy, yet compact. And best of all, it was made of metal, so he could weld it to the chain. He must have somehow overlooked the fact that it was also a hand grenade and was filled with explosive material.

Marko turned on his welding apparatus and began to create an arc between the chain and the grenade. As the metal heated up, the grenade exploded. The force of the explosion killed poor Marko instantly, blasting shrapnel through the walls of the shed and shattering the windshield of a Mercedes parked outside. Marko's chimney was untouched, however.


What The Papers Said:
Don’t Clean a Chimney Using a Grenade

From the Hemming Emergency Directory:


Bizkupija, Croatia:
When Marko Ryzco (55) went into his semi-detached workshop to make himself a tool for chimney cleaning he was determined to make it as effective as possible. The chimnet was too high for asimple broom to work, but if he could attach a bruch to a chain and then weigh it down with something, that would do the trick. But what could he use as a weight?

What happened next formed the basis for the Bizkupija Coroner’s Report: “Ryzco happened to have found the perfect object: it was heavy, yet compact and best of all it was made out of metal so he could weld it to a chain. He must have somehow overlooked the fact that it was also a hand grenade and was filled with explosive material.
“Marko Ryzco turned on his electrical welding apparatus and began to create an arc betweenthe chain and the grenade. As the metal heated up, the grenade exploded. The force of the explosion killed the man instantly, blasting shrapnel through the walls of the shed and shattering the windshield of a Mercedes parked outside. The man’s chimney was untouched, however.”