A North West man had both his hands amputated after a hand grenade he was playing with exploded on Wednesday afternoon, police said on Thursday.
”Apparently he picked this device up in the veld and had been playing around with it for the past two weeks. Yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon, he had it with him again. We’re not sure exactly what happened, whether he pulled out the pin or what, but it exploded in his hands,” police spokesperson Superintendent Louis Jacobs said.
Patrick Mangena (20) was taken to Potchefstroom hospital with serious injuries to his abdomen and face. Both his hands were amputated at the wrist.
He was later transferred to Tshepong hospital outside Klerksdorp and was operated on again on Wednesday night.
He was in a critical condition.
The incident happened at about 4.30pm at the Syferfontein farm outside Klerkskraal.
Jacobs said police have no idea where the device had come from. — Sapa