Footage of the incident, believed to have been filmed in Birmingham, has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread condemnation and renewed warnings over firework safety.
The one-minute video shows the man bending over in the middle of a street while a laughing friend lights the firework placed between his buttocks. Instead of shooting into the sky, the explosive detonated instantly, causing severe burns to the man’s rear.
Rather than rushing to help, onlookers can be heard laughing hysterically. One person can be heard shouting, “It got stuck in your arse,” while another jokes, “Wait there, turn around, I need to look at your arse.”
The video then shows the man dropping his trousers to reveal a large, red burn on his buttocks as his friends continue to laugh. One of them can be heard saying, “It’s burnt the life out of your backside, bruv.”
The shocking clip, reportedly filmed over the weekend, has been widely shared on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, prompting concern about the growing trend of dangerous stunts involving fireworks.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), firework-related injuries in the UK have risen by 42 percent over the past year. Home Office data revealed that 246 firework incidents were recorded in 2024–2025, compared with 185 in the previous year.
RoSPA described the rise as a “worrying trend” and said human error was responsible for more than 75 percent of all reported incidents.
Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager at RoSPA, said:
“Fireworks are powerful explosives, not toys. Only adults should handle them and never mix alcohol with lighting fireworks. The sharp rise in incidents over the past year is a stark reminder of the dangers they pose when misused.”
The organisation urged the public to attend organised public firework displays rather than handling fireworks at home, especially as Bonfire Night approaches.
The man’s condition has not been officially confirmed, but experts warn that such burns can cause serious tissue damage requiring medical treatment.
