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.