Boy “scarred for life” after making Molotov cocktail in TikTok’s fireball challenge

A 12-year-old boy was left with scars over 50% of his body after participating in TikTok’s fireball challenge.

After participating in TikTok’s fireball challenge, where contenders try to ignite rubbing alcohol to create a flaming Molotov cocktail, 12-year-old Corey was left “scarred for life.”

While Corey was in “extreme shock,” he kept reiterating how he “saw it [fireball challenge] in a video.” Corey’s mom, Tiffany Roper, told News 4 Tucson.

Tiffany then looked the challenge up on her phone where she saw that “many” had gone wrong. By sharing Corey’s story, Tiffany hopes she can warn others of the potential threat the fireball challenge possesses.

“I ended up grabbing my hose faucet from my sink and just spraying him down with water and flooding my kitchen until 9-1-1 got there,” Tiffany said.

When Corey was admitted to the ICU, he was induced into a coma for two weeks. When he awoke, he had to re-learn how to walk.

After a month’s stay at the hospital, Corey was released. However, he still has to undergo weekly physiotherapy sessions as well as medical procedures to increase mobility.

Though Corey is “doing great” and is back in school, he sustained second and third-degree burns to about 50% of his body, including his face, ears, neck, back, and arms.

He was given five skin grafts where doctors used skin from his thigh to cover his wounds. Corey also had four debridement surgeries to clean his burns.

Corey’s mom also noted that he “can’t remember” what happened, and is just relieved that he is feeling better now.