An elderly Georgia man suffered burns over 75% of his body while trying to open a bag of potato chips with a lighter, local authorities said.
The 75-year-old victim, whose name has not been released, was seriously injured Wednesday in Dalton at about 4:37 p.m., Bruce Frazier, the town's communications director, told the Post in a statement.
“The victim…was using a lighter to open a bag of potato chips, but was unable to do so with his hands. At that time, the man accidentally attempted self-immolation while sitting in a recliner. ” states the press release.
He added that maintenance workers used water hoses to extinguish the fire to the recliner as firefighters arrived.
The victim was taken to Baroness Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with third-degree burns to about 75 percent of his body, Frazier said.
He was then transferred to a burn center, but his current condition is unknown.
It is unclear whether the chip itself caught fire or whether the flames came from something else.
Chips are starchy and oily, making them highly flammable. According to VICE.
