Local whiz kid injured in blast from invention

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A boy, who is regarded as a whiz kid by locals here, lost a hand in a blast while experimenting with an electronic device, which also injured four other children in Barangay Lunzuran on Thursday evening, police said yesterday.

Kyrille Pilangga, an incoming Grade 5 pupil, was showing his latest “invention”—made of joined old electronic circuit boards—to playmates when the home-concocted gadget exploded around 6:55 p.m.

His playmates, Miko Enriquez, James Joseph Reyes, Jericho Bahana and Rommel Austero—whose ages range from 8 to 12—also suffered injuries in the blast.

Senior Insp. Haywien Salvado, commander of the Divisoria Police District, said based on investigation, Pilangga hooked up his experiment to old dry cell batteries in a bid to demonstrate to his playmates how it works. It was not exactly known what the gadget’s function was.

“He was experimenting on an electronic device, it being one of his hobbies, but it went off. Four other children suffered burns,” Salvado said.

He said it was apparent that a short circuit occurred, which caused the batteries to explode.

Joel Jose, chair of Lunzuran, said it turned out that the boy had created an explosive device.

Jose, an uncle of Pilangga’s, said the boy knew many things, including electronics, but the explosion was baffling.

“He is very intelligent for his age. He knows a lot of things beyond what his playmates can understand,” Jose said.

Pilangga, speaking from his hospital bed, said he was not worried about losing his right hand.

He hinted that it was part of the risks of experimentation.

“I already accepted my fate,” the boy said.