Terrifying video shows moment dancer is engulfed in flames during zoo performance

A Chinese zoo dancer was engulfed in fire during a live performance, causing her to run into a river to put out the flames. 

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The dancer’s red dress caught fire soon after she started a fire dance – a Chinese ancient folk tradition – at the Nantong Forest Safari Park near Shanghai last Wednesday, April 1, video shared by Shanghai Daily shows. 

She was supposed to dance safely in between two fiery hoops — but the fires quickly raced up her dress. 
 

After just two twirls, the terrified dancer raced toward a nearby river in a desperate bid to avoid being fully consumed by the flames. 

She made it to the water around 11 seconds after her dress caught fire. 

Officials at the zoo, home to almost 20,000 animals and more than 300 species, said the dancer wasn’t seriously injured. 

See the video below.
 

On April 2, at the Nantong Forest Wildlife Park in Jiangsu, a female performer was dancing the fire skirt dance when her skirt hem caught fire, and she jumped into a pool to save herself. https://t.co/JnHB21IrYA pic.twitter.com/WIWVxfS7AO

— zamohappy (@zamohappy) April 8, 2026