Michigan man in DIY rocket sled explosion

Second-degree burns for Darwin Award hopeful

A Michigan man required hospital treatment when a rocket sled stunt went explosively wrong, ClickOnDetroit reports.

The unnamed 62-year-old was holding a "sledding party" at his Independence Township home last Saturday night, and after a few liveners decided it was a really bright idea to assemble an improvised go-faster machine "using a motorcycle muffler, a piece of pipe, gunpowder, match heads and gasoline".

Witnesses explained that the drunken rocket man "strapped the device on his back, donned a makeshift helmet and got on a sled, asking someone to light a wick attached to the device".

Unfortunately, the DIY rocket exploded part of the way down the hill, causing second-degree burns to the victim's face and damaging one of his eyes.

The sheriff's department is looking into the matter "pending possible criminal charges". ®