A startling incident unfolded at a Chinese zoo when a dancer, performing a traditional fire dance, found herself engulfed in flames, prompting her to dash towards a river for safety. The dramatic scene, captured on video and shared by Shanghai Daily, took place at the Nantong Forest Safari Park, located near Shanghai, last Wednesday.

The performance was meant to showcase an ancient Chinese folk tradition, with the dancer elegantly maneuvering between two fiery hoops. However, in an unexpected turn of events, her red dress caught fire shortly after she started her routine.

Panic ensued as the flames spread rapidly up her dress. Reacting swiftly, the dancer abandoned her planned choreography and sprinted towards the nearest river, hoping to extinguish the fire before it could cause severe harm.

Remarkably, she reached the water approximately 11 seconds after her dress ignited, managing to avert potential disaster with her quick-thinking actions.

In a reassuring statement, officials from the zoo, which houses nearly 20,000 animals across over 300 species, confirmed that the dancer did not suffer any serious injuries from the incident.

Officials at the zoo, home to almost 20,000 animals and more than 300 species, said the dancer wasn’t seriously injured.

They have not confirmed if that part of the show will return.