Fire Officials Warn of "Lunacy" Surrounding Internet TrendFire Officials Warn of "Lunacy" Surrounding Internet Trend

8/5/14 - The Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority is emphasizing that setting yourself on fire is a very bad idea. An Internet trend called the “fire challenge” began to gain popularity in 2012. It is a sort of “dare challenge” in which the participant does something painful simply to prove they can, in this case applying a flammable substance and lighting their bodies on fire. Teenagers around the country have been injured as a result, and the Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority has added its voice to the emergency response and medical organizations which have called on people to stop. It points out that the online videos of people participating in the challenger do not show the severe burns that result from the challenge, as well as the hospitalization, infections, disfigurement, and death that could follow. The department says it is absurd that officials have to tell people not to light themselves on fire, and calls the trend “lunacy.” Anyone with comments or concerns is encouraged to contact the fire authority or visit its Facebook page. (TD)