Gender reveal party results in massive wildfire, $220K fine
'It was a complete accident'
'It was a complete accident'
'It was a complete accident'
These days, a low-key baby shower doesn't cut it — at least on social media, where parents everywhere have shared viral clips of their crafty, funny and sometimes odd, gender reveals. But one couple seem to have taken things too far, after their innocent party took a dangerous turn.
According to the , an off-duty Border Patrol agent accidentally started a 47,000-acre wildfire during a gender reveal party hosted by him and his wife. The Arizona Daily Star reports that Dennis Dickey pleaded guilty to the charge of "causing a fire without a permit" in the April 2017 Sawmill Fire in Arizona and was fined $220,000.
Dickey reportedly used Tannerite, an "explosive substance designed to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm,” to trigger a colored powder that would reveal the gender of the baby. The substance reportedly has been linked to wildfires before.
Due to 40 mph winds, the fire quickly spread and about 800 firefighters fought the blaze for a week, costing the state $8.2 million. There were no injuries or buildings damaged.
Dickey's lawyer claims that the agent called the police and admitted to starting the fire.
“It was a complete accident,” Dickey said during his appearance in court. “I feel absolutely horrible about it. It was probably one of the worst days of my life.”