Student tragically died in freak accident after gum mistake blew half of his face off

There are not many unsafe ways to chew gum, but a chemistry student tragically discovered one way when he bit down and half his face was blown clean off.

25-year-old Ukrainian student Vladimir Likhonos had been working in his room, surrounded by dangerous chemicals, when he made the fatal error that caused his piece of chewing gum to explode.

Local reports from the time of the incident in 2009 indicate that Likhonos had a routine where he would dip his gum into citric acid, a common and harmless substance found in lemons and other citrus fruit.

Notably, citric acid is often distributed in a nondescript white powdered form, which could have resembled a number of other chemicals. Sadly, rather than getting a refreshing lemon flavor, Likhonos had dipped his gum in a highly explosive substance.

Harmless citric acid would have looked like a number of far more dangerous chemicals (Getty Stock Image)

When the Kiev Polytechnic Institute student put the gum back in his mouth, the explosion blew his jaw and the bottom half of his face off.

Ukrainian police spokesperson Elvira Biganova said at the time of the fatal accident that there was around 100 grams (3.5oz) of an unidentified explosive substance in his workspace, alongside the citric acid.

The two substances were said to have looked identical. Biganova said 'anybody could have mixed them up.'

Russian reports from 2009 indicate that Likhonos was working in his room when his mother heard the explosion. When she rushed upstairs, she found him lying bleeding on the flaw with his jaw blown off.

Ambulance crews were unable to do anything to help the chemistry student due to the catastrophic nature of his injuries.

Unconfirmed estimates stated that the powder was four times more powerful than TNT (JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP via Getty Images)

Biganova added: "Even some of our seasoned officers, who have seen a thing or two, even they were pretty badly shaken up by what they found."

State-run news service RIA Novosti reported that his friends described Likhonos as a 'quiet' and 'level-headed' young man, who had a passion for math, physics, and chemistry.

They also said he had a habit of making homemade firecrackers, with the hopes of beginning a career in science

Likhonos had supposedly returned home to the Sumy region after finishing his exams when he made the fatal mistake, with the chemist supposedly spending most of his time on his computer, or experimenting with chemicals.

Irina Lisovskaya, deputy dean of his chemical engineering faculty, added some context about Likhonos, stating at the time: "He got an A in chemistry, but his grades in other subjects were average.

"Yes, Vladimir was not a poor student, but he never graduated [as] he could not defend his diploma thesis and was expelled last year."

A bomb disposal unit that responded to the explosion refused to move the explosive powder due to its danger. This substance was not identified, but estimated to be up to four times more powerful than TNT.