Daily Reporter Staff

A potentially dangerous prank has led to serious charges involving a group of Spencer teenagers.

Members of the Spencer Police Department were called out at 3:35 p.m. Wednesday to the playground area of the Jefferson School building, which is in the 1000 block of Fourth Avenue East.

Someone near the Jefferson School area saw four youth mixing the explosives and contacted the police.

When they arrived officers found a mix of aluminum foil and cleaning agents, contained plastic bottles and known as "MacGyver bombs." The unstable mix of household items can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries, including shrapnel wounds from plastic or gravel as well as chemical burns.

The teenagers made three devices.

Two of the MacGyver bombs were found out in playground areas and one was found in a portable toilet. The teenagers were still in the vicinity, wanting to see the result of the mixtures, when officers arrived.

One exploded as planned, another failed to ignite, and the third ignited when detonated by authorities.

Spencer Police Chief Mark Lawson reported no injuries or property damage because of the incident.

The teenagers have been referred to the juvenile probation office. They are: Katy Zalaznik, 14; Shawn Johnson, 15; Christopher Bell, 14; and Storm Rzaszutak, 14; all of Spencer.

Wednesday's incident marked the third time this year area teenagers were charged with crimes related to explosive chemical bombs. In March, six Ruthven and Ayrshire area teenagers were charged with suspected roles in a series of mailbox bombs discovered in Clay County.

Also in March two Spirit Lake teenagers were investigated for their role in a mailbox explosion in the East Lake Okoboji area.

Lawson said the homemade bombs are becoming more of a problem "because curiosity is getting the better of some of these young people."

The Spencer Police Department was assisted by the Spencer Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal.