A 9-year-old boy suffered burns covering more than 70% of his body after taking part in a dangerous viral social media trend called the “fire challenge,” officials said.
The boy, whose identity has not been released, is in “unbearable pain” and “lucky to be alive,” New Orleans Fire Department Chief Roman Nelson said in a video warning families about the trend. Participants deliberately set themselves on fire to test how quickly they can extinguish the flames.
“It’s very dangerous. It is not fun, and it is not funny,” New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said alongside Nelson.
Nelson urged parents to speak with their children about the risks of the fire challenge and other “extreme behaviors” promoted on social media.
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“Kids, don’t fall for this gimmick and don’t feel peer pressure to take part in it. Your life is not worth it,” she added.
The National Library of Medicine defines the fire challenge as a stunt in which a participant “douses his or herself in a household accelerant such as isopropyl alcohol or acetone, sets him or herself ablaze, and attempts to extinguish the flames before serious burns are incurred.”
The New Orleans Fire Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.