Lab experiment kills teen; police launch probe

A 17-year-old student in Chennai died in an explosion while conducting a chemical experiment out of academic interest at his residence. The incident led to the room collapsing on him, resulting in his death. Authorities are examining the chemical substances and investigating the case as a case of unnatural death.

A 17 year-old class XII student has been killed in an explosion while carrying out an experiment with some chemicals, police said.

The boy was studying in a private school falling under the Kolathur police station limits under the City Police limits and carried out the experiment out of ''academic interest''. The chemicals exploded, leading to the room collapsing on the boy.

Following the incident, the chemical substances used by the deceased are being examined by experts, a police release late on Thursday said.

The victim, ''who appears to have carried out some experiments out of his self academic interest with the available chemical substances in an apparently negligent manner at his residence, sustained injuries, died on the spot as the asbestos sheets and the wall of his residence collapsed and fell on him,'' it said.

The incident happened when the chemical substances ''went off accidentally.'' ''In this context, a case of unnatural death (u/s 174 CrPC) was registered at....experts of Forensic Science Department visited, examined the spot and are analysing the chemical substances. The case is under investigation,'' it added.