Chennai: Teen tries to replicate fire blowing stunt, dies

Chennai: In a terrible mishap, a 16-year-old boy died in the early hours of Friday here, after attempting a stunt he had learnt on the internet.

Police identified the victim as E. Jeberson, son of Edwin, a caterer and a resident of Iyyanchery in Guduvanchery. The teen, for a long time had been fascinated with fire blowing events and other such stunts, which involved fire and petrol had watched such stunts on the internet for long and this turned out into an obsession in the case of Jeberson, police sources said.

He used to be left alone at home for long hours because both his parents were working throughout the day.

On Thursday, Jeberson, after watching one such video, decided to attempt one such stunt and removed some petrol from his father’s bike for the purpose.  

Later, he went back into the house and poured the petrol into his mouth and went on to light a fire, and blow the petrol on to the fire, when the petrol caught fire. It burnt his face instantly, and the boy fell down groaning in pain. 

Hearing sounds of Jeberson screaming in pain, neighbours rushed to the house and rushed him to the Chengalpattu government hospital, where he was admitted in a critical condition and undergoing treatment, police sources said. 

However, he died on Friday morning.

The hospital authorities conducted a post-mortem and sent his body back to his residence for funeral. Gudavanchery police registered a case and are investigating.

Police sources have warned children against attempting dangerous stunts that they watch on television or on the internet. Parents have to be cautious of the things their children are exposed to, they added.