A Russian-speaking YouTube science creator known as Thoisoi, based in Estonia, faced a dramatic accident in his home laboratory while experimenting with jet fuel. He later explained what happened in a detailed video recounting the incident.
The event was discussed in late autumn, with the full cause only clarified at the end of the following year. According to Thoisoi, the blaze started during tests of different jet-fuel formulations used for liquid rocket engines.
The root trigger involved the interaction of nitrogen oxide and a heptyl-based fuel. A test tube received a drop of heptyl oxide from a plastic pipette, and the resulting reaction proved highly vigorous. The intense activity caused the plastic tool to melt and the fuel to spill, igniting at the site of the spill.
During one moment of the experiments, heptyl released into the surrounding air, yet the creator did not assign it much importance at first. Minutes later, the background material began to smolder, and paper used as a backdrop caught fire. An alcohol layer in a pan combined with cooled nitrogen oxide vapors, and this sequence marked the start of the laboratory blaze, as described by the creator.
Initial attempts were made to extinguish the flames by the person on site, but smoke rapidly filled the room and forced an evacuation. Emergency responders ultimately brought the fire under control. There were no reported injuries or loss of life, and the incident concluded without casualties.
Thoisoi runs a popular science channel focused on chemistry, which had amassed a substantial audience online. At the time of reporting, the channel had millions of subscribers interested in chemistry explanations and experiments.
The story circulated widely as viewers reflected on lab safety, fuel handling, and the challenges of repeating high-energy reactions in non-industrial environments. It also prompted discussions about the reliability of at-home experimentation and the safeguards needed when working with reactive materials.
In the aftermath, the broader science community emphasized careful assessment of material compatibility, venting requirements, and proper containment when testing energetic compounds. The incident serves as a case study in balancing curiosity with safety in amateur and educational science environments, highlighting how rapidly a small misstep can escalate into a dangerous situation.
Finally, it is noted that prior coverage mentioned a separate story about a courier who explored online deals for heavy packages and experienced a job loss. This unrelated anecdote underscores the diverse range of topics that circulate in online media and the importance of verifying the context and source of such claims.