pev_model works with sprites too.
For your message:
PHP Code:
new origin[3];
get_user_origin(id, origin, 3);
message_begin(MSG_PVS, SVC_TEMPENTITY, origin);
write_byte(TE_IMPLOSION);
write_coord(origin[0]);
write_coord(origin[1]);
write_coord(origin[2]);
write_byte(64); // radius
write_byte(100); // count
write_byte(6); // life
message_end();
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