Mangano to Teens: Don't Set Yourself on Fire

Nassau County officials have issued a warning to parents and teenagers on the dangers of the new popular internet sensation - the "fire challenge."

The new viral trend involves someone pouring flammable liquid on themselves, setting themselves on fire and posting the video on social media. The point of the challenge seems to be to see how long the person can withstand the pain.

"It makes no sense to most of us, yet a quick online search pulls up hundreds of fire challenge videos," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said Wednesday. "Help us extinguish the fire challenge by speaking with your children today.”

Last week, a 12-year-old Far Rockaway boy suffered burns on over 40 percent of his body after attempting the stunt, police reported.

“While the Nassau University Medical Center Burn Unit is ready to treat anyone ignorant enough to try the fire challenge, we urge our children to think twice,” Mangano said. “The dangerous fire challenge can result in multiple operations and even death.

Mangano, who was joined by Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) CEO/President Dr. Victor Politi, physicians from NUMC’s Burn Center and fire safety officials, urged parents to speak with their children about the dangers of fire and to look at the videos their teenagers are watching on their iPhones, tablets and computers at a press conference in East Meadow.