Teen injured after setting own shorts afire repeatedly

Daily Herald (Chicago) ^ | 9-23-2002 | Kat Zeman

[Cagey]

After setting his shorts on fire to prove his courage, a Roselle teen ended up at Sherman Hospital in Elgin Saturday suffering from second-degree burns, police said.

The 16-year-old Roselle boy and two friends - a Roselle 16-year-old and an Elgin 15-year-old - smeared their shorts with gasoline around 10 p.m. Saturday and took turns lighting each other in the back yard of an Elgin home, Elgin police said.

Then they would drop down to the ground, roll and attempt to extinguish themselves, Elgin police said.

"They continued to do this for three rounds," said Elgin officer Mike Sullivan. "The shorts were drenched in so much gasoline that they were unable to extinguish it anymore. To the best of our understanding, it was some kind of a challenge."

The Roselle teen suffered second degree burns from his waist down, Sullivan said. He was treated and released. No charges were filed.

"Each one of them participated by their own free will," Sullivan said. "Being totally stupid is not a crime."

[Inge_CAV]

"I'm reporting you to the Principle, 2T's!"

Don't take your lighter and light up his/her underwear......... : )

[Cagey]

I'm still waiting for bell bottoms to come back.

[Cagey]

LOL The part of this story that really sounds odd is the fact these kids "smear" gasoline on their shorts. I've never heard anyone smear gasoline before.

[Inge_CAV]

Hot pants were quite an improvement over "Pedal Pushers." : )

[Inge_CAV]

I don't think we want to know how they did that. : )

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Do you and Cagey live in a cave? lol.....pedal pushers were recycled as Capri pants....I wore them all summer.......and Cag, bell bottoms came back two years ago,........lol.............

[Cagey]

I am so "not with it".

[Inge_CAV]

I think I have been sitting at this keyboard too long. : )

[2Trievers]

My lessons are ALWAYS done 2 weeks in advance ... ya' don't get to be teacher of the year pedalling backwards ya know! &;-)

[2Trievers]

I bet you were saving that gif all day for me! Awwwwwwwww! It's so cute! &;-)

[2Trievers]

I have no idea what you are TALKING about ... let me call my great-grandmother! &;-)

[Inge_CAV]

"ya' don't get to be teacher of the year pedalling backwards ya know!"

Wearing "Capri Pants?" : )

[2Trievers]

LOL ... I'm usually more subtle, when I do THAT CAVester! &;-)

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

LOL

[Inge_CAV]

The coach's paddle was what warmed our rear ends...........

[2Trievers]

OK ... when was the last time you two EVER got outta the house? &;-)

[Inge_CAV]

Say, do ya' think micro-minis will be back ... with thongs????

Yippppeeee!!! : )

[Cagey]

Wearing "Capri Pants?" : )

Hahahahaha. Like wearing Peddle Pushers backwards.

[Inge_CAV]

Well, I will admit, they always looked that way to me........ : )

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Whew.....micro minis with thongs......now on paper that seems like a good idea, but the "average" woman wearing that could cause you to gouge your own eyes out.........lol