0 The Death Burp, ROMANIA

A circus act in Romania ended in tragedy when fire-eater Vlad Cazacu, 43, belched in mid-performance and was blown to bits. Incredibly no one came to his rescue as stunned onlookers assumed this was part of an amazing illusion. Consequently this unfortunate man, who probably could have been saved, was allowed to just lie there and die.

"In the first part of the performance," said fellow circus

performer Nicole Antosu, "Vlad held a flammable cocktail in his mouth to spit fire at a burning torch. Somehow, he must have swallowed some of the liquid, because when he burped he triggered an explosion."

Experts believe fumes exhaled by Vlad ignited and caused an explosion that blasted the 43-year-old man into oblivion.

"It appears Cazacu accidentally swallowed a flammable liquid used in part of his act," said police sources.  "As he put a flaming torch in his mouth to 'eat' the fire, he burped up vapors from his stomach - which were flammable - and exploded."

"It was the most awful thing I've ever see," said one witness.  "He was so graceful and everyone was applauding - then he burped and was blown to bits."  - Bucharest, Romania


(Source(s): The Parrot (Accra, Ghana), Weekly World News, 1997)