'This can become very dangerous': Omaha Fire Department warns of viral social media trend

  • Source: KETV-TV ABC 7 Omaha
  • Published: 02/12/2020 09:38 PM

Omaha firefighters are sounding the alarm over a new social media challenge. Firefighters said young people are starting fires on purpose and posting about it on an app. Firefighters hope parents help put this new craze out. The videos can be found on TikTok, an app that allows users to create short videos. The Omaha Fire Department hopes to reach the teens on the app and teach them how dangerous this "challenge" can be. One video shows a teenager with his face over an outlet before he drops a coin onto a charger hanging out of the wall outlet. It results in a large spark. Scroll TikTok for a bit, or click the “outlet challenge” hashtag and you'll find dozens of clips showing the same thing. Omaha firefighter Verrell Gordon said those viral videos are sparking an alarming trend across the country. “That current will start a spark and cause a fire to start very, very quickly,” Gordon said. He said there’s also a danger the teens don't see.



Comments

We welcome comments from registered users. Comments are solely the responsibility of those who post them; their viewpoints are not endorsed by the Daily Dispatch and DailyDispatch.com. (read more)
Highlight
ship name
no comments have been added


FREE QUICK SUBSCRIBE
Sign up to subscribe to custom state Daily Dispatch emails for free

click to subscribe