Belgian photographer Bruno Brokken is in critical condition after having 396 gallons of water dropped on him from a firefighting plane at a height of only 22 feet near Girona, Spain. That's thousands of pounds of water.
Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon, which makes the weight of this aquatic payload just over 3,300 pounds, roughly the weight of a Toyota Camry. Now imagine having that dropped on you from 22 feet high. In addition to the weight, the speed at which the water was traveling is also a factor, so it's no surprise the guy was badly injured.
While there is no argument that the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been a huge success in raising money and awareness for research, the compelling need of some people to become a viral video hit is alarming. There have been some fun results from people who have taken it to the next level, but sometimes that backfires. Less than a week ago, a Scottish teenager drowned in a cliff-diving stunt, thought to be linked to the challenge.
It's tragic (and perhaps coincidental, considering his name?) that Mr. Brokken suffered injuries as a result of this stunt. A little more forethought would have suggested using much less water. I wonder how his photos came out.
h/t The Independent
Top image via Getty