Parents Warned About Teens Using Body Spray To Set Themselves On Fire
Posted October 2, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Video file sharing sites like YouTube have offered the world a plethora of positive, creative, and often genuinely funny works of art. But they’ve also attracted a slew of not-so-sophisticated attention-seekers whose behaviour is not only senseless, but potentially deadly.
The latest trend amongst bored teens involves setting themselves on fire with aerosol products and posting the evidence online.
It’s something Toronto Fire officials want to see stopped.
“We’re hoping that the kids will realize that what they’re playing with is extremely dangerous and not only will cause them harm but it could cause death as well,” said Div. Chief Michael Gerrard.
“What you’re seeing on YouTube, right, is the fun side of it. What you’re not seeing is the ramifications of when it goes wrong.”
Just last week a 14-year-old near London, Ontario boy was set on fire at his school. He suffered third-degree burns to his torso. The teen accused of doing it faces assault charges.
“I don’t think they understand how dangerous this material really is and can be, right, so be careful. Don’t use it. Don’t do it,” Chief Gerrard concludes.
“Children have always been fascinated by fire. They cannot comprehend the destructive effects that can be caused by such careless and dangerous acts upon themselves and others.”
“Not only is it harmful but it is a criminal act to cause bodily harm to another.”
The body spray Axe, which contains alcohol and is easily ignited, seems to be the ‘weapon’ of choice, but many other products will do. Most kids succeed in lighting parts of their bodies on fire and putting them out. But sometimes, the flames don’t douse as easily as they expected, leading to tragedy.
There have been many examples of late from around the world. Among them:
September 26: A 14-year-old boy in a city not far from London, Ont. is badly burned when a friend allegedly douses him with Axe Body Spray and then sets him on fire. The pal, also 14, is charged with assault.
September 7: Police in Council Bluffs, Iowa arrest a teen for allegedly making a blowtorch using a body spray and a lighter, and then setting the locker room of his school on fire.
April 12: A 14-year-old boy in Wales is accused of spilling gas on a 13-year-old’s pant leg and then igniting it a few minutes later. When asked why he did it, the boy tells police he believed it would have the same reaction as setting an aerosol spray on fire – an action he’d taken in the past. The younger child suffered burns to 29 per cent of his body and will be permanently disfigured. In mid-September, a jury decided the youngster didn’t intentionally mean to inflict any harm, but he is convicted of grievous bodily harm without intent.
