Riding bicycles through a piece of burning cardboard may not sound like the safest idea, but the Findon Skid Kids in Australia have been doing it for more than half a century and it's become somewhat of a tradition for the teen cycling club.
Organizers might want to reconsider that tradition after this year's stunt, which took place a few days ago, went horribly wrong.
Two 15-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl were doing the fire jump for the first time as part of the Findon Skid Kids' 55th birthday celebration. When the teens rode through the blaze, the burning cardboard didn't separate into two pieces, as it normally does, and the bikers caught fire.
They were immediately covered with blankets and taken to a local hospital. The riders suffered second-degree burns.
"It felt like the cardboard was on me, which it was," Trent Forester told 7News of the experience. "It was really hot. It was excruciating."
The error occurred in the set-up of the stunt. Only one piece of cardboard was used, and therefore it didn't break up when lit on fire. Luckily, the riders were well-protected.
Even after this horrific accident, organizers say they look forward to putting on the stunt again next year.
"We will be doing it again in the future," Findon Skid Kids president Mick Harley said. "What we will be doing in the future is making sure [the cardboard] has the split down the centre and making sure it's done correctly."
