Magician's Head Set on Fire on Dominican TV

An American magician was recuperating yesterday in the Dominican Republic after a local television show host lit his head on fire with a flammable cologne. California native Wayne Houchin said he is receiving treatment for burns that doctors are cautiously optimistic will not result in scars. A statement on his Facebook page says he is "resting, healing & working through the legal process" in the Caribbean nation, where he had been performing with a group of fellow magicians.

During a Nov. 26 appearance on the Dominican Republic's Closer To The Stars TV program, guest host Franklin Barazarte abruptly doused the US magician's head with "Agua de Florida," a flammable cologne commonly used in Santeria rituals. A video of the incident (viewer discretion advised) shows the magician's head bursting into flames as Barazarte runs his hands over Houchin's hair. It is unclear why the TV host doused his head in the liquid or what ignited it. The program has not commented on the incident, which was not broadcast on Dominican television. (More Dominican Republic stories.)