Geneva man dies in Wis. after musket explodes

HAYWARD, Wis. -- A 40-year-old Geneva man has died in northwestern Wisconsin after a musket he was loading exploded.

Sawyer County (Wisconsin) deputies say the man died Friday about 7:15 p.m., less than an hour after the explosion.

Authorities say three men at a cabin near Hayward were attempting to load and fire the musket. Deputies say the victim tried to fire the gun and it exploded, sending shrapnel into his thigh.

His friends drove him to a hospital, where he died.

Authorities believe the shrapnel may have sliced through the femoral artery, one of the body's main blood vessels.

The man's name hasn't been released pending notification of family.