Just after 6:00 PM on January 27, 1984 Michael Jackson was burned by a pyrotechnic accident as he and his brothers filmed a commercial for Pepsi Cola at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.  Here’s a photo of The Jacksons filming the commercial before the accident.

New footage recently released shows footage of Michael’s hair actually catching fire.  While descending the stairs on the sixth take, a firework went off early and ignited Michael’s hair.  Michael unaware that his hair had caught fire executed a few spins, but when he turned around to walk to the back of the stage, crew members jumped on him and extinguished the flames.

Here’s some stills of the accident…

Michael suffered second- and third-degree burns to his scalp and body. He was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center then transferred to the Burn Center of the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City.

Michael donated the $1.5 million settlement he obtained from Pepsi after the accident to the Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, California, to establish the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children.  Many have blamed this accident for Michael’s addiction to pain medication and plastic surgery.

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