More than 30 firewalkers at Anthony Robbins’ motivational seminar treated for burns
Robbins believes walking across hot coals will help people “conquer the other fires of their life with ease”.
More than 30 people who attended an event with motivational speaker Anthony Robbins have been treated for burns after Robbins encouraged them to walk on hot coals as a way of conquering their fears, Dallas fire officials said.
Five people were taken to a hospital on Thursday night, while the rest were treated at the scene for burns to their feet and lower extremities, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said.
The hot coals were spread outside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre as part of a four-day Robbins seminar called “Unleash the Power Within”.
Jumping off would have been a fantastic idea. But when you’re in the spirit of the moment, you’re kinda focused on one task
It’s a regular part of some of Robbins’ seminars; more than 20 people were treated for foot burns after an event in 2012 in San Jose, California.
Paul Gold of West Palm Beach, Florida, suffered second-degree burns on both feet that will take about two weeks to heal, he said on Friday from a burn unit. It was the second time he’s walked on hot coals; the first he described as a “very good experience” at a Robbins seminar a few months ago in Florida.
He said the difference on Thursday was that it appeared staff members didn’t allow the coals to cool enough before adding more to the pile, which was about three to four feet wide and about 20 feet long. He realised halfway through his walk over the coals that he’d suffered burns.
“In hindsight, jumping off would have been a fantastic idea,” he said. “But when you’re in the spirit of the moment, you’re kinda focused on one task.”
After his walk, Gold, 44, said it felt like someone had “taken a hot iron and pressed it against my feet”. He also said he saw a girl who was crying and others complaining of burns; his fiancée had minor burns.
