Maryland State Fire Marshal

News Release
Martin OMalley Brian S. Geraci
Governor State Fire Marshal
FIRE CHALLENGE CAUSES SERIOUS BURNS TO INDIVIDUALS
PARTICIPATING IN A DANGEROUS ACTIVITY
STATEWIDE (August 5, 2014) A potentially deadly activity has been causing several
victims to receive serious burn injuries resulting rom pouring a li!uid accelerant on their body
and setting themselves on ire" #he $%ire &hallenge' is perormed in ront o a camera to be
placed on social media sites or vie(ing and sharing (ith the (orld"
#he seriousness o this stunt has rendered a call to parents and teenagers ali)e to discuss
the potential eects o this activity" *everal emergency rooms across the country have reported
receiving victims (ith signiicant burn injuries to their upper torso and e+tremities" A 15 year,
old male succumbed to his injuries in -ualo, ./ as a direct result o the activity" Although no
reports have been received by the 0ice o the *tate %ire 1arshal at this point, (e deinitely
(ant to get the (ord out to help prevent these occurrences in the *tate o 1aryland"
1ost ne(s intervie(s concerning this activity reveal that young survivors did not give
any thought o the potential or being severely injured or even )illed because they did not
understand the ire (ould become so intense"
The potential of receiving permanent debilitating injuries or worse from this act
should be shared with our youth to help prevent an emergency room visit, stated *tate %ire
1arshal -rian *" 2eraci" Please take the time to discuss this issue with family and friends to
avoid a potentially tragic situation.
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1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208
#he 0ice o the *tate %ire 1arshal is an agency o the 3epartment o *tate 4olice dedicated to helping protect
citi5ens rom ire and e+plosion through a comprehensive program o education, inspection, investigation and
ire protection engineering" %or more inormation on ire saety call 1,600,525,7124, log onto our (ebsite
at8 ((("mdsp"org9iremarshal and9or http899aceboo)"com91aryland*tate%ire1arshal"
1edia contact8 -ruce 3" -ouch, 3eputy *tate %ire 1arshal: 447,724,;6<;
1201 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208