Fire breather burps, sets face on fire

A Russian circus performer’s fire-breathing act went horribly wrong after he burped and set his face on fire.

Fire eater Ilya Golubev burped just as he was in the process of setting his breath alight, covering his face in paraffin, the UK’s Mirror reports.

The show’s audience, in the city of Izhevsk in central Russia’s Udmurt Republic, watched in horror as the performer’s face and then hands were set alight as he frantically tried to put out the flames.

Jamal Voronoff, who was in the audience, said it took him a moment to realise Golubev was in trouble.

“We thought it was part of the show at first until we saw the look in his eyes and the way he was desperately trying to put out the fire,” he said.

“He was clearly in agony but nobody came forward with a fire extinguisher to help him. He dropped his torch as he tried to beat out the flames.”

After putting out the flames, Golubev bravely continued on with the show, finishing his act before he was rushed to hospital.

Police say the performer is still in hospital suffering from burns which were made worse by him not putting water on his face and seeking medical help immediately.

Source: The Mirror