Fire challenge trend 'stupid'

Rotorua Intermediate principal Garry de Thierry said he had not heard of the 'fire challenge' but hoped it wouldn't be seen in Rotorua.

A new internet trend of people setting themselves on fire has a Rotorua principal saying he "couldn't believe they could be so stupid".

The Ministry of Education sent an email to school principals and Boards of Trustees around the country this week warning of the escalating trend.

The challenge, popular in America, involves people covering their body with highly flammable substances and setting themselves on fire while another person videos and shares the act on social media sites. Two people have reportedly died from the act, including a 15-year-old American boy who burned to death in July after his body was engulfed in flames.

Rotorua Principals Association president and Owhata Primary School principal Bob Stiles said when he saw the email from the Ministry of Education he "couldn't believe it was a real trend". "It's absolutely ridiculous. Having the videos go 'viral' on social media could also add to these stupid trends gaining popularity."

Rotorua Intermediate principal Garry de Thierry said he had not heard of the 'fire challenge' but hoped it wouldn't be seen in Rotorua. "The speed of social media messages and images is astounding and it doesn't take long for trends to catch on."

Mr de Thierry said although he hadn't seen the email from the Ministry of Education, it didn't mean his pupils weren't at risk. "We certainly haven't seen anything at Rotorua Intermediate but often this kind of behaviour trickles down from older siblings who take part in the trend."

Mr de Thierry said children were "very impressionable" and never saw the consequences of these activities.

"The videos on YouTube never show people getting injured so younger children see it and think it's easy, harmless and they're bulletproof. With trends like the 'fire challenge', the chances of a person being injured for life is exceptionally high but these kids don't think about that."

John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh said it was a "very dangerous thing some students thought was okay to do".

"It is the teenage culture to test the boundaries but social media is pushing this, so in order to get publicity and 'look cool', teenagers are doing increasingly extreme things."

Mr Walsh said he would not raise the issue to his students as it could result in the opposite effect of what was intended. "There have been no students in my school or any others I am associated with that have taken part in the challenge so I think by speaking with them about it you are giving the trend publicity and could potentially alert the students' curiosity to it."

Rotorua Fire Brigade senior station officer Colin Rolfe said all they could do was advise people not to try it.