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Huge gender reveal blunder costs dad over $300k

A dad’s idea for a gender reveal has seriously backfired after it caused an explosion, which started a huge fire.

Video has just been released of the moment Dennis Dickey, from Arizona, decided it would be a great idea to shoot at an explosive target, filled with either blue or pink powder.

But the resulting explosion also set fire to the Coronado National Forest and ultimately damaged more than 45,000 acres of land.

The dad’s idea for a gender reveal caused an explosion, which started a huge fire. Photo: Storyful
The dad’s idea for a gender reveal caused an explosion, which started a huge fire. Photo: Storyful

The off-duty Border Patrol agent immediately reported the fire, in April 2017, but faced thousands of dollars in fines and five years on parole.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty in September to starting a fire without a permit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona released in a news statement. He is also set to make a public service announcement with the US Forest Service.

Confetti and balloons are looking like a much better option. Photo: Getty
Confetti and balloons are looking like a much better option. Photo: Getty

“It was a complete accident,” Dennis told US Magistrate Judge Leslie A. Bowman in court. “I feel absolutely horrible about it. It was probably one of the worst days of my life.”

The explosive sparked a bushfire which took nearly 800 firefighters about a week to battle. The cost of the fire was estimated to be $8.2 million USD ($11.3 million AUD).

As part of the father’s plea agreement, he paid $US100,000 ($A138,000) in restitution in October. He’ll also pay monthly $US500 ($A690) instalments for the next two decades and be sentenced to five years of probation.

Gender-reveal parties, which seem to get more extravagant every year, sometimes go wrong in minor ways, such as when someone accidentally pops a balloon containing either pink or blue confetti before the couple is ready for the reveal.

This may be the first reveal to cost this much – and, naturally, people on Twitter were quick to make fun of the disastrous attempt.

Reports of the fire at the time didn’t mention whether the fire-starting powder was pink or blue. No we finally know he was expecting a baby boy.

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