Glocester 18-Year-Old Set Self Ablaze For TikTok Fire Challenge: Reports

NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI — An 18-year-old from Glocester suffered severe burns when he set himself ablaze and leaped into North Smithfield's Slatersville Reservoir while performing the TikTok fire challenge, multiple media outlets reported.

"Cops said he did it for social media, participating in the 'fire challenge' in which people put lighter fluid on themselves and light it before putting out the flames by jumping into a body of water or using a shower," the New York Daily News reported.

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An article in the National Library of Medicine called the fire challenge a "recent disturbing trend ... wherein 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."

"As expected, participants in the 'fire challenge' often accidentally suffer serious burns," the National Library of Medicine article said.

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In this case, according to the Daily Breeze, the young man poured gasoline on himself, North Smithfield Fire Chief David Chartier said.

"I couldn’t wrap my head around it,” Chartier said in the Daily Breeze story. “Who knows what this young man’s going to be in for in terms of the burns. It could have turned into a very tragic thing.”

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The man, who was with a 16-year-old when he set himself on fire, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence with second and third-degree burns, Boston.com reported.

"The 16-year-old told police that he and the other male were copying a video they watched on Instagram of a person lighting themselves on fire and jumping into the water, according to a report obtained by The Boston Globe," the Boston.com story said. "Though the trestle above the reservoir is private property, no charges have been filed for trespassing.

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The younger teen was unhurt and released to his parent, according to NBC Boston.

"That’s crazy, I’ve never seen anything like that,” Tik Keosykhao, who boats in the reservoir, said in the NBC Boston story. “I think that the kids these days need to reconsider their actions because its very life threatening, not only are they endangering their lives but other lives.”

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