One of life's most pleasurable moments to witness is that brief pause — to make a wish, then take a deep breath — right before a child blows out the candles on her birthday cake. Does she expect her wish to come true immediately? Probably not. But she doesn't expect the cake to blow up in her face, either.

Continue reading

We're not talking about trick candles here; this was an actual explosion at a 13-year-old's birthday party. The Carroll County Times reports that someone probably confused a firework for a birthday candle, causing "a low-level explosion in the dining room," according to the fire department. The father was burned on his face and arms, the mother on her arms, and the birthday girl on her arms and eyes. All three are reportedly in good condition.

Just to be clear, everybody: A Roman candle is not actually a candle.

[NBC Washington]