In a bid to achieve the viral ‘boiling water into ice’ trend for an Instagram Reel, a woman ended up in the hospital with second-degree burns.

The trend of tossing boiling water into the air, instantly transforming the liquid into a misty cloud of ice particles, is going viral on social media for its majestic effect. This seemingly harmless trend ended in a disaster for this woman, highlighting the potential dangers of mishandling hot water.

However, the woman’s desire for the trend to go right did not end with her hospital visit; once she was out of medical care, she reportedly tried following the trend again.

It is not confirmed whether she was able to complete the trend during her second attempt without further injuries.

The video shared by Dailystar on Instagram opens with a snowy, ice-covered backdrop.

Soon, a woman enters the scene, holding a kettle. She pauses to strike a pose before attempting a popular trend. But instead of the boiling water forming a mist as intended, it splashes back onto her.

As the scalding water hits her, the woman winces in pain before collapsing to the ground.

“The woman ended up going to hospital to treat the burns,” Dailystar’s caption read.

What causes boiling water to turn into ice, as per the trend?

According to a BBC report, boiling water turns into ice due to a phenomenon called the Mpemba effect.

Because of rapid cooling in extremely cold environments, when hot water is thrown into freezing air, it quickly evaporates, causing the tiny droplets to cool almost instantly and freeze mid-air. This forms a mist-like cloud of ice crystals.

This phenomenon is most effective in temperatures well below freezing, where the extreme contrast between the water’s heat and the air’s cold accelerates the process.