EAST HAVEN, Conn. — The Fire Chief for the East Haven Fire Department is sounding the alarm over a dangerous TikTok trend after a child was injured Tuesday night.
According to Chief Matthew Marcarelli, the trend is called "The Whoosh Bottle Experiment".
Marcarelli said the experiment involves the use of alcohol and a bottle, which is then ignited, supposedly creating a "woosh" noise.
Tuesday, around 8:30 p.m., fire crews were called to a home in the report of a child burned. While crews were at the scene, they learned the child had been burned while recreating the experiment, causing the severe burns.
The child was taken to Yale Children's Hospital before being taken to the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Center.
"This could have easily led to a fatality as well as a major fire in the house," Marcarelli said. "Alcohol is a volatile, flammable liquid and can act as an accelerant."
The fire marshal investigated the incident and will be reaching out to East Haven Public Schools to make sure children are aware of the dangers, Marcarelli said.
"Take a few minutes to talk to your children about the dangers of playing with ignitable liquids and matches and monitor what they are watching," said Fire Marshal Charles Miller. "This experiment when done incorrectly can cause severe burns that can permanently scar an individual.”
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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