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How Did This Guy Manage to Accidentally Livestream Setting His House on Fire?

We translated events in an attempt to find out what the hell happened.

When this Japanese guy started sharing his thoughts online about some cheap "everlasting" matches he bought on the internet, he probably didn't think he'd end up live-streaming his own house fire.

This video has been making the rounds on the internet (it's got over 4 million views), and starts off by showing the man explaining how to use his cool new purchase. Things get confusing, however, when he inadvertently starts a fire in the process. All the while, a creepy computer-generated voice gives him feedback—though it's difficult to tell who the voice belongs to (it may be commenters on the livestream or a voice-to-text app).

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Motherboard wanted to figure out what the hell was going on, so I've translated the run-up to the accident, scene by scene. Even so, we're still not much closer to figuring out just exactly how the dude managed to set his whole room on fire.

MAN: These are some long-lasting matches that I bought for about 100 Yen (80 cents). I don't really know what it's about but here it is [holds object towards camera].

Here's this thing [makes gesture at the bead bracelets on his wrist].

I also bought an interface and things I could watch TV with. [points to left-hand corner of the room]

COMPUTER VOICE: Ooooh, how do you light that thing?

MAN: One sec. I dunno really.

How do you work this thing? This thing only cost me 100 yen (80 cents). It's like an everlasting match. How the heck do you use this thing?!

Huh [tries to light match by striking it against the box]. Can whoever knows how to work this thing let me know? How do you light it?

There's a kind of [gap] here at the back. Huh, what is this? Oh right yeah, maybe I have to use a lighter to turn it on. Nah, that can't be right. What's up with this thing..?

Creepy computer voice provides the guy with some suggestions.

Oh right, should I put oil into this thing?

Oh I broke it, and my hands are really messy now.

I've closed it now. [He puts match back inside the box] So how do you light it?

The computer voice gives more instructions.

Yeah, I've wiped it clean.

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Oh, maybe it's like this [strikes match].

This thing is damp now, [so it's not gonna work].

What, I need a string? What do you mean?

But this thing didn't come with a string. There's something on the tip of this [match]. Maybe I can light [the match] by striking the other side. There's something white attached to the tip of this match.

So you can soak the tip into the oil. But it's still not lighting up. Maybe I put too much in.

So are you meant to light this thing by striking this side?

The man succeeds in lighting the match, causes a massive flame.

Oh, ee, that's hot.

(05:05)A small fire starts behind the man.

COMPUTER VOICE: Uh oh. Behind you. Behind you.

MAN: Behind me? What's behind me?

Man douses the small fire behind him with water from a plastic bottle. He moves the box with a fire in it to the back of his room.

COMPUTER VOICE: UH OH.

Why did you put it there? [Probably referring to the huge fire at the back of the room] [The fire] is getting worse.

The man douses the fire at the back of his room with more water—this time from a bigger bowl.

COMPUTER VOICE: Fire extinguisher, fire extinguisher.

The man switches off the sound going into the livestream. Everything falls silent but the computerized voice remains.

COMPUTER VOICE: To cut off the oxygen…

Errr, leave the futon as it is…

The man renters room with a huge saucepan full of water, douses the flames. Fire gets worse.

Either ring 119 (911) or get a fire extinguisher.

Otherwise [the fire] will get worse.

Ring 119 (911). Hurry up and ring 119. How did this happen?

via Daily Dot