Explosion injures three teens Police say shrapnel from homemade bomb wounded youths

ADDISON – Three teenagers were hospitalized Friday night with shrapnel wounds after an explosion involving a homemade bomb, the Maine State Police reported.

Two boys, ages 16 and 17, and a 16-year-old girl packed an empty CO2 canister with gunpowder taken from a number of firecrackers and bullets, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The device exploded after the teens sealed the canister with molten lead. The incident occurred just after 7 p.m. behind a home on Pointe Drive.

Police would not identify the juveniles. Once their investigative reports are complete, they will consult with the District Attorney’s Office to see if charges might be filed.

The three are students at Narraguagus High School, Principal Peter Doak confirmed Sunday.

“I’m not even sure what happened,” Doak said, declining to comment further on the incident. “We will assess that tomorrow.”

Travis Willey of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department was the first officer who went to the scene. He referred inquiries to the Maine State Police, which issued a press release Saturday with few details. Spokesmen for the state police and the State Fire Marshal’s Office said no further information was available Sunday.

The three teens were taken by ambulance to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor because LifeFlight was not available. The injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Investigators don’t know if the device exploded accidentally or whether a fuse had been lit. The trio was within a few feet of the device when it exploded.