Angry Polish Guy Doesn't Get Invited On Family Picnic, So He Blows Up House

[Initech]

A Polish man blew up his own house when he realised his wife and children had gone on a picnic without him.

Czeslaw Kaminski, 69, was so incensed when he woke to find a note from his wife to say that she had gone away for the day with the children that he decided to destroy the family home.

But after lighting a fire in the basement and throwing two gas cylinders on top of the property in the village of Chechlo Drugie, near Lodz, he failed to leave in time and was caught in the blast when the house was blown to smithereens.

He was taken to hospital by an air ambulance where his condition was described as critical.

Hospital spokesman Bozena Kozanecka said he was in a coma in intensive care.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Man_blows_up_house_over_picnic_snub

[siligut]

1. I feel so sorry for this guy

This sort of destructive behavior indicates very difficult inner turmoil. And now he is in critical condition.

[SwissTony]

2. Presumably, you also feel sorry for his wife and kids

who now have no home. And may lose a husband (however flawed) and father.

Wonder how old his kids are.

[siligut]

3. Not the way I feel sorry for the guy

The wife and kids still have their minds and health, presumably. While alcohol may have been why he slept in, the anguish and instability it takes to burn down ones own house is torment that there is not a simple solution for.

[SwissTony]

4. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

No argument that this guy has serious mental problems. But he's made his wife and kids homeless because he wasn't invited to a picnic. He'll have a roof over his head and get three squares a day. His wife (presumably about the same age as him i.e. 60s) now has no home. Hopefully, she has other family to support her.

But yeah, it's a loss/loss situation however you look at it.

[siligut]

5. We don't actually disagree

Bad situation in general and being old and losing ones home is on the list of difficult life circumstances. But he is so maladaptive that this is a turning point for him and the life option is going to be all uphill. Even though he may be sheltered and fed, he will never have peace of mind, the desire to thrive and now he most probably is disfigured.

Now, she may be a witch, as it usually goes, you don't find a diamond married to a turd, and he did seek to hurt her in a very big way just because she refused to return home, though we can guess that there is much more to this story. But I do accept that she doesn't have a whole lot of options either. While she didn't directly burn the house down, she did to choose to behave in a way that would anger her unstable husband.

I am guessing those kids are actually adults, they may have inherited the defective mental conditions that afflict their parents, but they still have the energy of youth. The mother may be able to live with one of them.

Your position is that outside forces caused her suffering, while he is responsible for his? Yes, but I am saying while his action caused the disaster, he didn't act in a vacuum.

[SwissTony]

6. We do disagree

" ...she may be a witch, as it usually goes..." Based on what exactly? Nothing in the link to suggest she's anything like a "witch".

"...she did to choose to behave in a way that would anger her unstable husband" You're blaming the victim. Quite possibly (or should that be probably), he would have picked on any other "excuse" to do the same thing. Think about it. The guy does this because he didn't get included on a picnic list???? Gimme a break. How the hell can this woman NOT anger her husband? Wrong coloured socks? Food not ready on time???? Kids crying???? Any excuse will do.

"I am guessing those kids are actually adults, they may have inherited the defective mental conditions that afflict their parents, but they still have the energy of youth. The mother may be able to live with one of them." They may be adults or maybe they're adopted. Neither of us knows. But what makes you think they have inherited any mental conditions? And you're saying the mother also had problems???? Based on what? Women stay with violent husbands because they see no alternative.

"Your position is that outside forces caused her suffering, while he is responsible for his? Yes, but I am saying while his action caused the disaster, he didn't act in a vacuum." Outside forces???????? It was her bloody husband!!!!! You can't get less "outside" than that. Yes, there may be "demons" loose in his brain, but he is responsible. You seem to be doing a few extra yards to imply she's in some sense responsible, but from what's been presented, that's a real stretch.

And I have experience. My father was a bit like this guy. I wish to hell I had kicked the crap out of him 40 years ago. it was always my mother's fault, no matter what she did or didn't do.

Sorry, if this comes across as a bit of a shotgun approach. Nothing personal. But I hate domestic violence.

[siligut]

8. Having a father like that can certainly color ones perspective

Wow and sorry. To respond, the article doesn't tell us much beyond the house burning and precipitating event. We can only imagine what else might have been going on. I use my study of abnormal psychology to hypothesize. Yes, I agree the man probably is an asshole, in which case, he no doubt made everyone in the family miserable. Which leads us to the possibility that Mrs. Kaminski actually lit that fire before she left. Her report is leading:

The man's wife Grazyna said: "He called me on the mobile home and demanded that I go home, but when I refused he said he was going to get revenge. I did not take him seriously and then I returned home to find this."

I know your history gives you cause to believe her, but that he was caught in his own fire makes me wonder. Even if the call is on her phone, and the kids confirm the conversation, that he was caught in the fire, leaves doubt. I wonder about insurance money, that would be another factor.

I am not blaming the victim. Blaming the victim takes responsibility off of the offender and I am not doing that. The man is a victim too, even if it is of his own ineptness and temper.

[MADem]

7. I hope they have good insurance. nt