London Fire Brigade warns teens: Don't light yourself on fire

LONDON, May 19 (UPI) -- The London Fire Brigade is warning teens not to attempt a "stupid and dangerous" stunt called the "fire challenge," which involves lighting oneself on fire.

The "fire challenge" trend, which has become popular on Facebook and YouTube, involves a person -- usually a teenager -- pouring flammable liquid on their body and then igniting themselves before jumping into a body of water.

"This is a stupid and dangerous craze. You're almost certain to seriously injure yourself, and fire can easily spread to furniture and other flammable household items which is a risk to others," a London Fire Brigade spokesman said.

The viral trend has been blamed for numerous injuries. Some media outlets reported a 15-year-old Buffalo, N.Y., boy died while attempting the stunt last year, but those reports appear to be based on a hoax article from a satirical news site.