Boy burned from TikTok challenge becomes friends with firefighters who saved him

CHARLOTTE — A 10-year-old boy turned tragedy into triumph after a TikTok challenge left him with devastating burns.

Channel 9′s Almiya White spoke with the boy who formed an extraordinary bond with the firefighters who came to his rescue.

Charlotte Fire Captain Garry Barham said the fire started with a social media challenge.

“He was doing a TikTok trend with rubbing alcohol and an ignition source which was a lighter,” Barham said. “And it exploded.”

While he recovers from the second-degree burns at a burn center in Winston-Salem, Jared Pacas sent the Charlotte Fire Department a special video message, thanking them for saving him and his family from his mistake.

And the firefighters at Charlotte Firehouse 40 were glad to hear from him.

You can help children like Jared by donating to the Firefighters’ Burned Children Fund.

>>> At the video at the top of the page, watch the video exchanges between Jared and Charlotte Firehouse 40 and learn how Jared is recovering.

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