With TikTok being a laid back, fun app that anyone can use, some users take it upon themselves to complicate things. Take for instance the latest TikTok ‘penny challenge’. This viral challenge is sparking fires, literally.
If the ‘ice-cream challenge’ was TikTok’s lowest moment, we might have a new winner. Not only is the ‘penny challenge’ pointless, but it’s also dangerous.
This viral TikTok challenge involves partially plugging in a phone charger and then sliding a penny down the wall onto the exposed prongs.
The latest #TikTok viral challenge is a dangerous one parents need to know about.
Today, I got a letter from @TheNFPA National Fire Protection Association about this today and I’m doing the story tonight @KOLDNews at 6 #OutletChallenge #pennychallenge #fireprevention pic.twitter.com/8T5FwIjjUB— Brooke Wagner (@BrookeWagnerTV) January 23, 2020
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Consequently, the metal on metal contact with electricity in the mix, results in sparks, electrical system damage, and even electrical fires.
Electrical fires are particularly dangerous because you cannot douse the fire with water or smother it with a heavy fabric. The solution is using a fire extinguisher. But then again, who will tell the fools who do this challenge?
Legal Consequences
The challenge is so popular, even the Massachusetts Fire Department had to issue a warning regarding the video challenge on the video-sharing app.
This warning comes after three incidents where the challenge led to fires. Incidents in Plymouth and Holden led to less apparent damage to scotched outlets. Meanwhile, at Westford Academy, there was a full-blown fire.
A fire official said a Westford student who participated in the challenge is facing charges.
Hidden Fires
Just because a fire isn’t visible does not mean scorched outlets are a close call. Scorched outlets can often cause electrical fires in the walls that spread with the wiring.
The Plymouth Fire Department, Fire Chief Ed Bradley explained how this was more dangerous.
“The other issue can be that you do damage to some electrical wiring behind the wall and a fire could be undetected and burning in the walls, endangering everyone that’s in the building,”
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The Plymouth incident also took place in a school. Firefighters responded to Plymouth North High School at around 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.
When firefighters arrived the penny fused to the charger. Luckily no one was injured.
