12-Year-Old Girl Burns Herself in Dangerous TikTok ‘Tanghulu Challenge’
A Cardiff mum is sounding the alarm after her daughter nearly got badly burned trying a viral TikTok craze. Emma-Louise Owen’s 12-year-old daughter, Sophie-Rosie, suffered painful burn blisters after attempting the tricky ‘tanghulu challenge’ at home.
What Went Wrong?
The sweet challenge involves heating sugar and water to make a sticky syrup, which is then glazed over fruit skewers and dipped in cold water to harden. But things went south when Sophie heated the syrup in a plastic jug in the microwave. The boiling hot mix melted the container, splashing syrup onto her foot and hand.
Emma, 34, heard her daughter’s scream and rushed to help. “I submerged her foot and hand in cold water straight away. Blisters were forming fast,” she said. They raced to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where doctors warned the burns could’ve been much worse.
‘Prison Napalm’ Danger
The burning syrup is sometimes called ‘prison napalm’ because its sticky, scalding nature causes severe injuries, much like the infamous napalm bombs. Emma is relieved Sophie wasn’t blinded or left with worse scarring, but the youngster is now left with permanent marks.
“We were told it could’ve been a lot worse. Because we acted quickly and kept it under water, we managed to limit the burns. It could have splattered in her face and caused serious scars or blindness. She has scars now from this,” explained Emma.
Warning to Parents About Viral Challenges
Emma criticised social media platforms for failing to warn users about the risks of such challenges. “You can’t watch your kids 24/7 but stay aware of what they do online,” she urged parents.
A TikTok spokesperson stated that tanghulu is a traditional candied fruit recipe that’s been around for years. They also reminded that making it isn’t more dangerous than cooking other high-temperature foods. TikTok enforces a 13+ age limit and requires users to enter their full birth date as part of safety measures.
Emma hopes her warning stops other children from facing similar painful injuries. “Parents need to educate their kids and keep tabs on what viral challenges they try,” she said.
