A fire-breather from Somerset suffered horrific burns when a stunt went wrong, causing his face to 'melt' off. Joe Johnstone, 31, was performing at a barbecue in Bridgwater on April 7 when a gust of wind blew the flame back into his face, igniting his beard.
The Incident
Shocking footage shows Joe spinning a lit fire staff before breathing a stream of fire, which then blows back into his face. Within seconds, his entire head is ablaze, and he drops to the ground clutching his face as friends rush to help. The self-taught performer had not practiced for two years but agreed to show tricks to children at the gathering.
Hospital Treatment
Joe was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where doctors had to 'peel off' melted, dead skin from his face every four hours—a process he described as the 'worst pain' of his life. After seven days in hospital, he was discharged and is now recovering at home.
Reflections
Despite the accident, Joe remains determined to return to fire-breathing. 'I've done it a million times,' he said. 'A gust of wind just came and blew it back in my face. It was the most frightening time of my life.' He shared a clip of the accident on social media to raise awareness and considers himself a 'fire warrior' who enjoys 'staring death in the face.'
