SpecialEffectsHelper.cs

using UnityEngine;

public class SpecialEffectsHelper : MonoBehaviour
{

    public static SpecialEffectsHelper Instance;

    public ParticleSystem smokeEffect;
    public ParticleSystem fireEffect;

    void Awake()
    {
        // Register the singleton
        if (Instance != null)
        {
            Debug.LogError("Multiple instances of SpecialEffectsHelper!");
        }

        Instance = this;
    }

    public void Explosion(Vector3 position)
    {
        // Smoke on the water
        instantiate(smokeEffect, position);
        // Fire in the sky
        instantiate(fireEffect, position);
    }

    private ParticleSystem instantiate(ParticleSystem prefab, Vector3 position)
    {
        ParticleSystem newParticleSystem = Instantiate(
          prefab,
          position,
          Quaternion.identity
        ) as ParticleSystem;

        // Make sure it will be destroyed
        Destroy(
          newParticleSystem.gameObject,
          newParticleSystem.startLifetime
        );

        return newParticleSystem;
    }
}

This script is attached to the Main Camera, and is used to instantiate and destroy the particle effects that I use in my game. In my enemy/obstacle scripts, I call this script before destroying the player in order to create an explosion effect.