Viral ‘bonded by fire’ trend puts kids at serious risk

Children playing with fire can result in deaths or serious injuries, including life altering burns and significant property damage

- Waad Barakat

Safety specialists stress that there is no safe way for children to interact with fire, regardless of how small or controlled it appears.

(FILE PHOTO)

A viral social media trend showing children briefly playing with fire before shaking hands as a sign of being "bonded by fire" is raising serious safety concerns among fire and medical experts, who warn that even momentary contact with flames can have severe and lasting consequences.

The trend, which has circulated widely on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, shows children lighting small flames, touching them briefly, then shaking hands, often portraying the act as harmless or symbolic.

Safety specialists, however, stress that there is no safe way for children to interact with fire, regardless of how small or controlled it appears.