The 12-year-old boy died on New Year’s Eve in an accident with the hammer, a type of hammer used to detonate explosive powder. An 11-year-old boyfriend suffered serious injuries to both lower legs.
The school Het Assink, where the fatal victim was in the first year of pre-university education, is currently on holiday. After the accident, however, a crisis team was immediately convened to focus on the best possible care for the students despite the holidays.
Memorial site
Director Ingrid Hegeman informs the parents in a letter that the direct classmates will be taken care of at school on Monday by their mentor, student counselor and team leader. They will then jointly set up a memorial site for the victim under supervision.
Students and parents have the opportunity to visit this memorial site for the rest of the afternoon. The memorial corner will continue to exist in the coming weeks, so that the other students can go there when classes resume on Monday 10 January.
The 11-year-old boy has now undergone surgery on both lower legs. He also suffered broken bones. Although he is still in a lot of pain, he is making it physically reasonable under the circumstances.
Explosive powder
Klaphamers are officially not regarded as fireworks and despite previous accidents, including in 2015 in Vriezenveen, they are known as relatively harmless. The danger lies mainly in the explosive powder. The slightest spark can cause this powder—a mixture of sulfur and sodium chlorate—to explode prematurely. For example, the powder must be stirred with a plastic spoon because a metal spoon can cause a spark.
‘shrapnel’
The technical investigation team is still investigating what went wrong in Haaksbergen. According to local residents, the metal bowl in which the powder is placed probably exploded for unknown reasons. Then the metal parts flew around like shrapnel. The fatal victim is said to have been hit in the chest area, his friend in particular in his lower legs. A third boy was unharmed.
Incidentally, the boys were not part of the group that fired the metal hammer, but were in the wrong place at ‘the wrong time’. Police believe they may have just arrived or may have been watching. Police are still looking for witnesses who can provide more information about the accident.
Lawyer response
Lawyer Janbart Kalk, counsel for the man who operated a hammer, previously pleaded with RTV Oost to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident. “That is in the interest of the next of kin of the fatal victim, in the interest of the injured boy’s family and also in the interest of my client and his family. This is a case that only knows losers.”
The Haaksbergen resident has been arrested for culpable homicide and is still in custody. He is known in the neighborhood as a respectable family man.
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