OC Teen Injured Doing 'Fire Challenge' For Online Dare
SANTA ANA (CBS/AP) — Authorities say a 16-year-old Orange County boy has been burned after setting himself on fire for an online dare.
Investigators believe the teen was trying the so-called "Fire Challenge" that has spread on social media.
Fire Capt. Larry Kurtz says the teen apparently placed nail polish remover on his chest and lit it Thursday afternoon in his Santa Ana home located in the 900 block of South Standard Street.
Kurtz says the boy was taken to a hospital with first and second-degree burns.
His injuries are severe, but fortunately the injuries aren't considered life-threatening.
Online videos show several people performing similar stunts before dousing themselves.
Saturday evening, KCAL9's Bobby Kaple reported from Santa Ana where the teen is recuperating.
It was Orange County's first reported case of the "Fire Challenge."
Officials are hoping it's the last.
Kaple got a first-hand look at how dangerous the challenge can be by Orange County Fire Authority Captain Larry Kurtz.
Hand sanitizer was applied to a shirt and then lit on fire. Within seconds flames shot up the shirt and it was burned up.
"He used nail polish remover," Kurtz said about the OC teen, "and poured it on his chest. As a result, he suffered burns to his hip, his neck and his face."
Kurtz added, "What these videos do not show is the aftermath of these situations, where usually the person suffers severe burns."
He told Kaple it's not just the burns the victims have to deal with.
"They can inhale the super heated gases which will destroy their lung tissue," Kurtz said, "And this has been proven fatal in the past."
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