diff --git a/doc/fixes35.0 b/doc/fixes35.0
index 0ebe06601..e676aa52b 100644
--- a/doc/fixes35.0
+++ b/doc/fixes35.0
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ monsters who ate green slime corpses weren't turned into green slime
 hero would "gladly take off <armor>" for nymph or succubus even while asleep
 concealed mimic wasn't revealed if kicking attmpt yielded a clumsy miss
 too accurate feedback given to a blinded hero when a monster summons insects
+message sequencing for fatal explosions was confusing if feedback was given
+	for carried items being destroyed
 
 
 Platform- and/or Interface-Specific Fixes
diff --git a/include/flag.h b/include/flag.h
index 02ad13ab9..b05629975 100644
--- a/include/flag.h
+++ b/include/flag.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)flag.h	3.5	2007/04/26	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)flag.h	3.5	2009/01/04	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ extern NEARDATA struct instance_flags iflags;
 /* last_msg values */
 #define PLNMSG_UNKNOWN		0	/* arbitrary */
 #define PLNMSG_ONE_ITEM_HERE	1	/* "you see <single item> here" */
+#define PLNMSG_TOWER_OF_FLAME	2	/* scroll of fire */
+#define PLNMSG_CAUGHT_IN_EXPLOSION 3	/* explode() feedback */
 
 /* runmode options */
 #define RUN_TPORT	0	/* don't update display until movement stops */
diff --git a/src/explode.c b/src/explode.c
index e409cbebd..cfd1496c2 100644
--- a/src/explode.c
+++ b/src/explode.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)explode.c	3.5	2007/04/27	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)explode.c	3.5	2009/01/04	*/
 /*	Copyright (C) 1990 by Ken Arromdee */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ int expltype;
 			str = hallu_buf;
 		    }
 		    You("are caught in the %s!", str);
+		    iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_CAUGHT_IN_EXPLOSION;
 		}
 		/* do property damage first, in case we end up leaving bones */
 		if (adtyp == AD_FIRE) burn_away_slime();
@@ -400,14 +401,17 @@ int expltype;
 			    killer.format = NO_KILLER_PREFIX;
 			    Sprintf(killer.name, "caught %sself in %s own %s",
 				    uhim(), uhis(), str);
-			} else if (!strncmpi(str,"tower of flame", 8) ||
-				   !strncmpi(str,"fireball", 8)) {
-			    killer.format = KILLED_BY_AN;
-			    Strcpy(killer.name, str);
 			} else {
-			    killer.format = KILLED_BY;
+			    killer.format = (!strcmpi(str, "tower of flame") ||
+					     !strcmpi(str, "fireball")) ?
+					    KILLED_BY_AN : KILLED_BY;
 			    Strcpy(killer.name, str);
 			}
+			if (iflags.last_msg == PLNMSG_CAUGHT_IN_EXPLOSION ||
+				iflags.last_msg == PLNMSG_TOWER_OF_FLAME) /*seffects()*/
+			    pline("It is fatal.");
+			else
+			    pline_The("%s is fatal.", str);
 			/* Known BUG: BURNING suppresses corpse in bones data,
 			   but done does not handle killer reason correctly */
 			done((adtyp == AD_FIRE) ? BURNING : DIED);
diff --git a/src/read.c b/src/read.c
index bc0728445..2ca34ce4c 100644
--- a/src/read.c
+++ b/src/read.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	SCCS Id: @(#)read.c	3.5	2008/02/07	*/
+/*	SCCS Id: @(#)read.c	3.5	2009/01/04	*/
 /* Copyright (c) Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam, 1985. */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
@@ -1325,6 +1325,7 @@ struct obj *sobj; /* scroll, or fake spellbook object for scroll-like spell */
 		    pline_The("water around you vaporizes violently!");
 		} else {
 		    pline_The("scroll erupts in a tower of flame!");
+		    iflags.last_msg = PLNMSG_TOWER_OF_FLAME; /* for explode() */
 		    burn_away_slime();
 		}
 		explode(u.ux, u.uy, 11, (2*(rn1(3, 3) + 2 * cval) + 1)/3,