While burnout is a serious occupational hazard for health professionals, it became an OH&S issue in a more literal sense for a fire-eating performance artist, who inadvertently inhaled when he shouldn’t have.

The 19-year-old smoker (no pun intended) presented to ED after accidentally aspirating Pyrofluid — a high-purity fuel mixture — during his show.

Within minutes of the inhalation, he felt nauseated, with dyspnoea and mild dry cough.

On admission, he experienced an episode of vomiting, as well as burning retrosternal chest pain.