Boy, 11, released from hospital after playing 'fire challenge'

Derick Robinson suffered second, third-degree burns

KENDALL, Fla. ā€“ An 11-year-old boy who is recovering from severe burns after playing the so-called "fire challenge" was released from the hospital Friday.

Earlier in the morning he spoke to Local 10 News about what led him to douse himself with alcohol and then set himself on fire.

"Watching Facebook," answered Robinson.

It was part of bizarre and dangerous game making the rounds on the Internet in which kids light themselves on fire and post the videos on social media.

It's called the fire challenge or burn challenge, and the social media clips have gained tens of thousands of views.

"Kids are doing harm to themselves, because they believe they do this, get under the shower and will not get burned," said Dr. Carlos Medina, a plastic surgeon at Kendall Regional Hospital. "But 100 percent of the time they get burned."

Medina said Kendall Regional has a network of eight burn centers in the southeast United States. Two days ago, Robinson was the network's first patient injured doing this stunt and there have been seven more cases since then.

"Every single time that they do it they get burned, and they get burned deeply because they have rubbing alcohol or acetone which can burn really really deeply," said Medina.

Robinson said he put alcohol on his stomach and then lit it on fire. He suffered second and third-degree burns on about 10 percent of his body.

Doctors now hope to douse the myth that you can't get hurt pulling this stunt. If you don't believe them, take it from a kid who learned the hard way.

"Do not do the challenge," advised Robinson.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.