Overview

• MrBeast’s September 28 video asks whether a contestant would risk burning alive for $500,000 across seven fire-based “Death Traps,” including an opening segment in a burning room.
• A short excerpt of the opening scene circulated widely on social platforms, drawing more than 59 million impressions and prompting criticism that compared the video to Squid Game and questioned YouTube policy compliance.
• In comments under the video and on X, MrBeast said multiple stuntmen tested every challenge, firefighters and EMTs were on site with an ambulance and firetruck, a pyro team managed the flames, and suppression systems, ventilation and a kill switch were in place.
• MrBeast stated that none of the emergency systems were ultimately needed during filming.
• The contestant, identified as Eric and described as a professional stuntman, said he joined in part to help his father with cancer, while ongoing scrutiny also references a separate class-action lawsuit from 2024 over Beast Games.