We’ve all done silly things for laughs, but this might just take the cake for “worst idea ever.”
A 22-year-old man in the UK found himself in a genuinely sticky situation when a prank for an internet video went horribly wrong, leading him to cement his head inside a microwave using seven bags of Polyfilla.
When DIY Meets WTF
The bizarre incident happened in Wolverhampton, where a group of self-proclaimed internet “pranksters” decided it would be hilarious to film themselves using a microwave as a mold and cementing someone’s head inside it.
Apparently, YouTube fame waits for no one—not even common sense.
West Midlands Fire Service was called to a house in Fordhouses after the man’s friends spent a full hour and a half trying (and failing) to free him from his self-imposed cement helmet.
“He and a group of friends had mixed seven bags of Polyfilla which they then poured around his head, which was protected by a plastic bag inside the microwave,” said Watch Commander Shaun Dakin.
The microwave wasn’t plugged in, thankfully, but was simply serving as the world’s worst fashion accessory.
Breathing Through a Straw (Almost)
In what might be the only smart move of the entire fiasco, the friends managed to feed an air tube into the 22-year-old’s mouth so he could breathe while encased in rapidly hardening cement.
Silver linings, people!
Imagine explaining this one to the emergency services: “Yes, hello? My friend cemented his head in a microwave for the internet… No, this isn’t a prank call.”
Professional Rescue Required
The technical rescue team had to be called in to carefully dismantle the microwave while ensuring they didn’t, you know, injure the guy whose head was encased in cement.
“It took us nearly an hour to free him,” said Mr. Dakin, who probably never thought his firefighter training would include microwave disassembly with a side of cement removal.
Not-So-Funny Consequences
While this story might have you chuckling (or face-palming), the fire service wasn’t impressed.
“He could quite easily have suffocated or have been seriously injured,” noted Commander Dakin.
The fire service also pointed out that this “prank” potentially diverted resources from genuine emergencies.
“All of the group involved were very apologetic, but this was clearly a call-out which might have prevented us from helping someone else in genuine, accidental need,” Dakin added.
If you’re planning your next viral internet moment, maybe reconsider if it involves cementing any part of your body inside household appliances? Just a thought.
Remember, folks—likes and shares aren’t worth risking your life over. And if your prank requires emergency services to save you, it’s probably not a great prank to begin with.
Editor’s Note: This article was sourced from a news report by West Midlands Fire Service regarding an incident in Wolverhampton, UK.