Posted on 11/30/2004 4:57:24 AM PST by scooter2
KENT - "Philip has been a kid who tinkers with things ever since he was little," a grieving Claudia Quinn told KOMO 4 News Monday night after her son's bizarre and tragic death.
Sunday, 24-year-old Philip Quinn was tinkering with a lava lamp at his home in Kent. His girlfriend and his parents became worried when they couldn't find him and couldn't get him to answer his phone.
Claudia and Bill Quinn drove from their home in Auburn to check on their youngest son. They thought maybe he'd just overslept. They were devastated by what they found.
"I looked around the corner and saw his body slumped there in the corner and just couldn't believe what I saw," said Quinn's father.
"There was glass from the kitchen clear to the living room," his mom told us. "They said it appeared that a piece of glass punctured his heart."
Philip, in a fatal act of experimentation, had placed a lava lamp on the kitchen stove. When used properly and heated only by a small lightbulb, 40 watts in most cases, a lava lamp is essentially harmless: a mix of wax or oil and water sealed in a glass bottle with a small air space at the top of the bottle to allow for the liquid to expand under heat.
"It wasn't bubbling fast enough for him," his mom guesses. "Because when we walked in the stove was on at the lowest setting."
Even at the lowest setting the amount of heat was too much. As Philip watched the lava lamp on his stove the pressure began to build too much and too fast until it essentially exploded like a grenade, showering him with glass and sending a large shard deep into his chest.
He was found just a few feet away from the stove. He bled to death and never had a chance to call for help. The King County Medical Examiner has ruled the death accidental.
Police found no evidence of drug or alcohol use.
Philip Quinn leaves behind a 15-month old daughter. He was also the youngest of three brothers. Funeral services are planned for this Saturday.
Lava lamps don't kill people. People kill people. Protect our lava lamp rights!
;-)
Hmm, that's odd. Has your employer got some block on FR? :P
Turkey Day was great.
I had off Friday too, so the 4-day weekend was outstanding! I got a lot of things done in my yard.
How was yours?
Quite frankly, doesn't sound like the kid had much of a father anyhow.
...you do have a point there...
I have a vivid memory at around age five of being in a dentist's office pondering a lava lamp. It was complete confusion to me as to how lava could be inside while the outside was cool.
"John Edwards will soon channel her dead son to sue the lava lamp manufacturer."
In John Edwards defense, I think its only apprpriate that we ask one question: Was there a safety label on that lava lamp, stating the danger of setting the lamp on a stove? /sarcasm font off
Just a side note: I have a new iron that has a label stating, "Do not use iron while wearing garment."
Nah, I can get through to all the firearms sites which they try to block. I dunno.
It was cold and inexplicably overcast here, we had 4 days without much sun which is pretty unheard of. Just lazed around. It's 5 degrees and windy at the moment.
That one was an ASSAULT LAVA LAMP! It looked funny, had a bayonet lug, and an extended magazine. Just a smaller version of the Assault SUV's that attack children all the time.
I feel terrible about this. I don't think he was stupid at all...it was a tragic accident. I sure he wasn't thinking the thing was going to blow up in his face. It scares the heck out of me because I have a teenage son who does things like this all the time.. he's way to curious and wants to know how everything works..God Bless his family.
You will undoubtedly be sucked into a parallel [but possibly evil] dimension via a rip in the time/space continuum.
Let us know how it turns out, if you're able....:)
Should read:
Man Killed by Own Stupidity
The Lava Lamp was only a tool, he was going to kill himself one way or another... eventually.
A "just damn" ping.
5? 5 degrees? BRRR!
Today's high in NC: 60.
"I have a new iron that has a label stating, "Do not use iron while wearing garment.""
So, does that mean you should only iron while naked?
This guy keeps coming to mind.
686+ ? Sweet.
"Worst lamp ever!"
Careful, the terrorists might pick up on this new WMD!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.