A future father in upstate New York was killed when a device he was building for a gender reveal party exploded, state police said on Monday.
Christopher Pekny, 28, was working on the device for his son’s gender reveal party in Liberty City, Catskills, when it exploded just before noon on Sunday, police said.
The explosion killed Pekny and injured his brother, Michael Pekny, 27, who was treated for his injuries at the Garnet Medical Center in Middletown, police said.
Robin Hood restaurant in Livingston Manor, which has been owned and operated by the Pekny family since the 1980s, mourned the loss of Christopher in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened and we must inform everyone about the loss of our dear and loved Christopher,” wrote the family on Facebook.
“We appreciate the impressive display of love and support that you have all shown.”
Police said the incident was still under investigation.
It is just the latest in a series of tragedies caused by defective gender disclosure devices in recent years.
Earlier this month, a 26-year-old man from Michigan died after being hit by shrapnel from a defective cannon that was being used in a baby shower.
Another genre revealed that the pyrotechnic device set off a major fire in Southern California in September 2020, burning thousands of hectares.
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