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Student accidentally sets off fireworks on train

46 Comments

A 16-year-old male high school student accidentally set off fireworks inside a train on the JR Chuo line heading through Ena City, filling the carriage with smoke, on Sunday morning. No injuries were reported.

According to police, the incident occurred around 10 a.m. on a west-bound express train. The student, who was riding with around 10 friends at the front of the train, lit a firework, filling the carriage with smoke and causing the driver to stop at Takenami station.

The students were on their way to go camping. The boy in question told police, "I was just joking and was going to pretend to light it, but I accidentally lit it for real. I'm really sorry for having caused trouble."

© News reports

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46 Comments
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I don`t think there is an age limit for fireworks in Japan (UK is 16 or maybe 18 as I remember) but I think the fireworks here are pretty wussy anyway compared to the ones we can buy at home.

I can see both sides - no harm done, but on the other hand he should have known better. Would be interested to know exactly what he set off because there is a world of difference between those puny little sparklers and a socking great rocket.

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Boys will be boys

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He's still a kid so lighten up. No one was hurt and he learned a lesson.

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who cares? no one hurt, 16 years old.

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those little sparklers sold in Japan could not even be considered "fireworks". We're talking M-80's, 1/4 sticks of dynamite and the usual rocket launchers and bazookas used where i live.

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Prosecute him to the fullest. Well we were going to let you off but you lit them in the train...

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No need to shout. I'm sure he has a clue now. As was stated previously: A risky stunt in front of friends usually does not turn out as planned. The fact that no one was injured is a blessing. I imagine the kid isn't going to be trying that stunt again and has a new-found respect for the fuses used in fireworks. As far as the calls for banning fireworks in Japan, I'm thinking that will never happen based on how many festivals there are. Prohibiting their sale to minors will only mean the parents will buy them before handing them off to the kids.

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“I was just joking and was going to pretend to light it, but I accidentally lit it for real. I’m really sorry for having caused trouble.”

THIS IS NOT A PRANK. WHAT WAS HE THINKING IN HIS HEAD???? IF YOU HAVE A LIGHTER AND FIRE-HAZARD MATERIALS ON YOUR HANDS...., IT'S NO-LAUGHTING MATTER!!! GET A CLUE, YOU STUPID KID!!!

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It doesn't matter what the outcome is, a mistake is a mistake. It everything turns out ok, it is a mistake... if it turns into a disaster, it's still a mistake.

Kids do stupid things and learn from mistakes... it's part of growing up. MOST boys have endangered someone's life with their antics at some point in their teenage life, either with driving, making dangerous dares, doing something that they thought would be good at the time, etc. If you don't realize this either you are too old to remember, you are not a guy, or you are just dense. I sure as hell had my moments when I was a teenager...

This kid should be dealt with strictly, but nothing more than that. Remove privileges or put him on some kind of community service (do they have that in Japan?). Nothing more.

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Kids do stupid things sometimes.

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deffinition of stupidity = 1 brainless 16 year, old mix in 10 other brainless school mates of similar IQ, an enclosed area (such as a train carrage) and you have potential disaster.

Yes he had the lighter, and I guess his 10 friends forced his hand to the firework.

He`s sorry....He made a mistake....HE MADE A MISTAKE.....HUH? HIS MISTAKE WAS SHOWING OFF IN FRONT OF HIS SCHOOL MATES AND ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF OTHER PASSANGERS.

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A fine will be good.. problem solved move on ;D

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I was just going to pretend to peel off your skin and ...

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Punish him for his dangerous stupidity.

Fireworks should be banned anyway.

People participate due to peer pressure. Nobody really enjoys them.

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How do you "accidentally" light a firework? You either flip open the lighter or you don't. You either strike the match or you don't. I know teenagers are generally stupid when it comes to matters of personal safety and property damage, but come on -- this takes the cake.

Can the police arrest him on unlawful obstruction of business, ala the JR employee who pushed the emergency button on his train to have a legitimate excuse for being late to work? Book him, or make him pay a hefty fine. His parents will NOT be happy having to shell out a substantial amount of cash for something this foolish. You want a deterrent? Furious parents, that's a darn good deterrent.

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wait, wait. let me get this straight...bunch of kids together....fireworks... a crowded train..

and he lights it, gets caught, and says

"uh, uh, I didn't mean to....I'm sorry..."

If I had a nickle for every time I did something like this on purpose and got out of punishment by saying "I'm sorry, it was only an accident..."

right now he's is a hero among his friends for doing this. You think any slap on the wrist Japanese style punishment will deter him?

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He should have let them off in the classroom - it always produced a laugh [and a panic-stricken stampede] in my school days.

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If you set other peoples lives at risk,it is not just a little mistake. And it irrelevant,wheter others did something similar stupid or not.

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Must have packed his brains in his bento box

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Come on, cool down guys. It's just a little mistake which can happen to anybody, especially at that age. You're not gonna tell me that you've never done something stupid when you were 16...

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This is stupid. Yeah, he's a dumb kid who 'accidentally' set of fireworks by lighting them, but let's all be thankful that he didn't do more (damage/harm). I think that convenience stores, etc. should not be allowed to sell fireworks (and some of them MASSIVE) to non-adults. In most countries it's that way, anyway, and would put an end to the idiots who shoot bottle rockets at people in parks.

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jail time

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How does one accidentally set a train on fire?

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I thought there is an age limit for having fireworks. Something like 18 years old?

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Kids should not have fireworks, they should be sold to adults only.

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it is a shame that fireworks are okay in this country - for anyone to handle.

Why? Fireworks are fun in the summer and safe enough unless you're careless (like this young guy).

I like that you can buy fireworks at most any combini!

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Wakarimasen:

was deliberate but the claim it was mistake will mean no punishment.

Tell us more; you were obviously there, right?

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wouldnt you love to see a home video of that scene as things started going off...ha ha,peoples faces would have been priceless...not that I'm condoning that kind of action...

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Kids will be kids.

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Dumbass.

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This kid is lucky on a number of levels. For example, I assume that he still has all his fingers if not much common sense.

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was deliberate but the claim it was mistake will mean no punishment.

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That doesn't sound like an accident, what an idiot.

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Jesus, just a kid who made a stupid mistake. I'm sure he's sorry enough. At least noone was hurt. I'm sure we've all done stupid things in our youth. Lighten up people!

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neganip:

"So what is the liability for such cases. Is the train operator liable or is the boy liable ? There is a way to streamline such cases and that is to make more people pay for their mistakes."

One of the great things about this society is the fact that nobody cares. Nobody wants anyone to "pay".

Why do you?

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Very very stupid and thoughtless.

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and a serious parental beating

More than likely the punishment if any will come from his school.

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it is a shame that fireworks are okay in this country - for anyone to handle. anyway, didnt this stupid lad take any sort of science class? oh, thats right. they sleep in class because they are too busy studying to get into a good high schoolcollege. this boy is bound for todai.

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Ahhh, youth. Great days.

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Regardless of intention, if you put a flame to a fuse it is no accident. I can see this kid getting a slap on the wrist from the cops and a serious parental beating.

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Yay! More "voluntary" police bag searches starting next week. This was just the excuse they were looking for. Thanks, soon-to-be-pumping-gas-for-a-living teen loser.

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So what is the liability for such cases. Is the train operator liable or is the boy liable ? There is a way to streamline such cases and that is to make more people pay for their mistakes.

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I pulled the trigger and the gun went off by accident

This happens already. As long as you say sorry, all is fogotten.

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"I put flame to a fuse and it lit by accident!" What's next? " I pulled the trigger and the gun went off by accident!"

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These days we see many security guards at stations and warnings of high alert. Is the point in this if people are allowed to take explosives, which is what fireworks are, onto trains?

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