A social media craze that utterly defies logic / common sense has claimed its latest victim, after an 11-year-old boy was rushed to hospital suffering severe burns because he lit himself on fire. On purpose.
The so-called fire challenge, whose questionable beginnings can be found in 2014, dares under-18s to douse themselves in accelerants and light themselves on fire, before jumping into a pool or tub to see how quickly it takes to put it out. Guys, we can tell you how quickly it takes: not quick enough.
Apparently the British pre-teen partook in a little self-immolation in his room after his friends dared him to do it. Totally normal after school activity for primary students, no?
As a result, he was rushed to hospital for emergency skin graft surgery and is right now learning a very painful lesson about The Consequences Of Your Actions.
“He is a brilliant little boy and I thought he had the brains to not do something like this,” his mother – who wishes to remain anonymous – told the Daily Mail. “He is never in trouble.”
The ice bucket challenge we could get behind, the condom challenge we could appreciate, but FFS, this takes things to another level.
To borrow a line from every crotchety old man who’s ever had a kid sass him, “WTF is up with the youth of today?”
Bruh.
