Juvenile pranksters who turn body sprays and other aerosols into flame-throwers could get burned, local authorities warn.
Several students in the metro area are in trouble for turning Axe, a popular male body spray, into torches by setting fire to the antiperspirant or cologne streaming from cans.
Recent cases include students at a bus stop torching a classmate’s clothing and kids setting bushes on fire next to an apartment building, said Cindy Matthews, a West Metro Fire Protection District spokeswoman.
“It’s nothing new to take an aerosol can and set it on fire, but because of the popularity and the availability of Axe, it’s a dangerous trend,” she said.
Popular YouTube postings of Axe fires on the Internet are feeding the potentially dangerous shenanigans.
Students at the school-bus stop and the youngsters who lit the bushes on fire are being investigated for arson and face a range of charges.
The bus-stop victim was not seriously injured or burned, but it could have been a disaster, Matthews said.
Other metro-area fire districts are experiencing similar problems, she said.
“Axe is the ‘in’ cologne right now,” Matthews said. That cologne “is just more prevalent.”
