Man, 28, dies in explosion while making device for gender reveal party

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A dad-to-be in the United States died on Sunday, Feb. 21, when a device he was building exploded. His younger brother was injured in the incident.

The man was identified by New York State Police as Christopher Pekny, 28. Upon investigation, police found out that he was making a device for a gender-reveal party.

His brother Michael, 27, was rushed to the hospital and was in stable condition, the New York Times reported yesterday, Feb. 22.

His older brother Peter, 34, told the New York Times that Christopher was expecting his first child. He had just learned before Christmas that his girlfriend was pregnant and that they were going to have a boy.

“The freakiest of freak accidents that I could ever imagine,” Peter said.

He said his younger brothers were close and “could fix and do anything.” Christopher in particular was a mechanic who enjoyed rebuilding motors and taking cars apart then putting them back together.

Police have yet to determine what caused the explosion, a State Police spokesperson said. The machine had a pipe, though the explosive material is still being investigated.

Just weeks ago, a 26-year-old man in Michigan was killed after a cannon used in a baby shower exploded. Niña V. Guno /ra

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