A 15-year-old youngster is fighting for his life after electrocuting himself while attempting to snap a picture on top of a tank wagon.
On May 6, Muhammed Ali Altundal and his pals broke into the Kirikkale Train Station in Turkey’s Central Anatolia region and went into the freight wagon storage area.
As part of a bet, Muhammed was then persuaded to climb on top of one of the wagons and take a selfie.
The kid was seen climbing on top of the wagon, followed by one of his friends, until Muhammed stretched his hand and touched a high-voltage power wire overhead.
Muhammed then falls from the wagon to the ground, causing a flash of light to appear.
The 15-year-old’s pals contacted 911, and he was brought to a local hospital where he was treated for critical injuries.
He was subsequently relocated to a larger medical institution in Ankara, where his health is gradually improving, albeit his life is still regarded to be in danger.
Hidayet Altundal, Muhammed’s dad, told local media his son “caught fire” after being egged on by his chums.
“He had a bet with his friends,” Mr Altundal said.
“When his friends said things like: ‘You couldn’t do it’, he became determined.
“While he was on the freight wagon and raised his hand, the electricity poured down like a waterfall. During this time, he caught fire and fell to the ground.
“The security guards intervened immediately. But within a few minutes, he was burning.”
Speaking to local news outlets, Mr Altundal said that no matter how much he encouraged his son not to take risks, teenagers are still prone to putting themselves in dangerous situations.
“He has been in the hospital here for four days,” Mr Altundal continued. “The doctors said that the risk to his life has decreased. He is currently improving.
“No matter how much we tell them, ‘Don’t do these kinds of things, don’t engage in risky activities’, unfortunately, children at this age still do things for the adrenaline rush.
“Especially to children aged 15 to 18, I always want to say this: ‘There is no need for you to engage in such dangerous tasks.’
“You are putting your lives at risk for the sake of taking selfies, sharing pictures on social networks like TikTok, and so on. This incident is truly very sad.
“Muhammed is also experiencing a great deal of regret about it. We don’t want other children to go through this regret either.
“That’s why I am warning all children: please be cautious.
“They don’t have the chance to stay away from social media, but our children don’t need to take dangerous pictures or videos.”
