14-Year-Old Follows DIY Video On Making Popcorn, Dies After Apparatus Explodes In Face

A YouTuber from China was being called a “murderer” after a 14-year-old girl succumbed to injuries and another 13-year-old girl struggled for her life after imitating a popcorn making trick shown in one of her videos.

The YouTuber who runs Ms Yeah Official Channel had posted a DIY video about making popcorn in-office using a drink can and an alcohol burner. On Aug. 22, the two girls, identified as 14-year-old Zhe Zhe and 13-year-old Xiao Yu, attempted to imitate the trick. They took a soda can and filled it with corn kernels before keeping the can over an alcohol burner to make popcorn. Suddenly, the apparatus exploded in their faces, leaving the teens with severe burn injuries. Though the exact cause of the explosion was not known, it was likely due to the alcohol inside the burner. It was also unclear if they followed the trick as it is or made modification.

Both of them were rushed to a nearby hospital. While Yu was undergoing treatment, Zhe died on Sept.5, after suffering 96 percent burns. After the news of the teen’s death surfaced, several people called the YouTuber a “murdered.”

Following the backlash, the YouTuber took to Weibo, a Chinese blogging site, on Wednesday to share her views and apologize for what had happened. The YouTuber said the last few days were the darkest in her life.

“I have prayed many times for a miracle to happen to Zhe Zhe, but God did not show pity. I am heartbroken,” she said, adding that she will take full responsibly for Yu’s treatment.

Stressing that she used a safer alcohol lamp in the video, the YouTuber said she wasn’t the only one following the trick. She added that she was sure the victims were not referring to her videos and were actually following instructions of other videos. She further apologized for what had happened and said she would stop making such videos.