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 Jackson’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.
The first photo shows Michael defending the staircase. The second photo shows Michael’s hair already engulfed in flames with brother Jermaine in the foreground.
Here’s a video still from behind the stairs showing MJ’s hair on fire.
Michael suffered second and third degree burns to his scalp and parts of his body.
He was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and 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.
UPDATE: These medical records and close up of Michael Jackson’s burns surfaced a few years ago.
Ouch!!!
No one should judge Michael because he was addicted to a pain killer. Some people are in the world and you just have to deal with it. Michael Jackson's injury was severe but an accident!!!!