An Saanich man received chemical burns to his face, ears and chest after attempting to examine a liquid explosive device on his front yard on Friday.
The 70-year-old watched a group of teens in a blue pickup truck drive past his home, in the 700-block of Viaduct Ave., and toss a bottle filled with blue liquid at another group of teens walking on the sidewalk.
The man went outside around 8:45 p.m. to inspect the bottle, but as he bent down it exploded.
Saanich police Const. Chris Roberts called it a “crude explosive device made with readily available ingredients.”
The man was taken to hospital and was treated for chemical burns.
“(We want to) remind the public of the extreme danger posed by the creation of homemade explosive devices and the mixing of reactive chemicals,” Roberts said.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call 250-475-4321.
kslavin@saanichnews.com