Authorities are issuing another warning and advice for parents to talk to their kids about a new viral TikTok Whoosh Bottle Challenge on social media after a teenager in Connecticut suffered severe burns and has landed at the hospital.
On Tuesday, December 28, firefighters responded to a call for help at the home of the teenager, who was trying to recreate the TikTok Whoosh Bottle Challenge. Chief Matt Marcarelli told reporters that the teenager attempted to light a five-gallon plastic jug poured with rubbing alcohol to create noise or "whoosh," which he saw on the popular social media platform.
Per the reports, the teenager was brought to Yale New Haven Hospital and then moved to the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Center to receive treatments. However, the extent of his condition was not made known to the locals who got word of his accident.
"This could easily have led to a fatality as well as a major fire in the house," the chief said. "Alcohol is a volatile flammable liquid and can act as an accelerant."
EAST HAVEN CT FIRE CHIEF WARNS OF LATEST TIKTOK DANGER Chief Matt Marcarelli and Fire Marshal Charles Miller warned of the latest TikTok danger called “The Whoosh Bottle Experiment” after a town youth was burned @BillyGoldfeder @fireengineering @tiktok_us @STATter911 #TikTok pic.twitter.com/shQfT5tYFY
— CT Fire Academy (@CTCFPC) December 29, 2021
"Talk to Your Kids," Urged Fire Chief
The firefighters are asking parents to monitor and sit down with their kids to tell them about the dangers of the TikTok Whoosh Bottle Challenge. Deputy Fire Marshall Charles Miller said that parents should open the lines of communication with their kids about what they see on TikTok. He believes that talking will help reduce this type of risky behavior.
The fire department is also planning to inform and work with schools in the area to raise awareness about participating in social media challenges. TikTok, on the other hand, told People that videos without any safety measures would be deleted from their platform. The company said it is working on new "caution labels" to put in some videos so these will not pop up on their users' recommended feeds.
However, the TikTok Whoosh Bottle Challenge did not originate on the platform as there have been uploaded videos about burning jugs with alcohol from more than ten years ago. Some of these featured chemistry teachers or scientists explaining the importance of wearing safety gear.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said that TikTok leaders assured them there are systems in place to disallow harmful content on the platform following several incidences of school vandalism in the fall of 2021. Tong said those systems might not be working since a child is now at the hospital. He added that he would meet with Tik Tok officials alongside Connecticut parents and educators who want better protection for the kids.
Doctor in Florida Issue Warning, Too
Meanwhile, a pediatric doctor in Florida also issued a warning about a similar challenge after treating a teenager with burns. Dr. Jenna Wheeler said that the child rubbed alcohol on himself and then lit a fire on the premise that the "alcohol would burn off before the fire touches" him. Naturally, it did not.
Wheeler also said that she has treated kids who did the Nutmeg Challenge or the Benadryl Challenge that led to hallucinations. She warned kids that doing these challenges may permanently damage their health. She urged them to pause and think hard about participating in these games online.
