Firefighters hurt in ice bucket challenge

A charity stunt that has grown into a social media phenomenon went terribly wrong for four Kentucky firefighters when a fire truck’s ladder got too close to a power line after they dumped water on college students who were taking part in an "ice bucket challenge".

Campbellsville Police chief Tim Hazlette said the power line was never touched on Thursday morning, but it carried such a high voltage that it was able to energise the ladder truck, shocking the firefighters.

The two in the bucket were at a hospital burn unit early yesterday. One was in a critical condition and the other was in a fair condition, the hospital said. The other firefighters were treated and released.

They had just taken part in the ice bucket challenge that helps raise money for ALS research. They dumped water on the Campbellsville University’s marching band, but most of the students had already left the area and no students were hurt.

University nursing student Julie Smith said she was nearby and spoke to a couple of friends who saw the firefighters being shocked and said “they are taking it really hard”.

“It’s tragic, I feel for all the band members who were still there when it happened, that they had to see that.” Smith later led a prayer vigil on the campus on Thursday night.

Power was knocked out for about an hour to 4,500 customers, including the school, said Natasha Collins, a spokeswoman for Kentucky Utilities, which owns the line.

The ice bucket challenge has been sweeping social media websites. The ALS Association said it has raised more than $41m (€31m).