NEW YORK (WPIX) - Never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's 1984 Pepsi commercial accident where his hair caught fire has been released and may shed light on his recently uncovered drug use.
In the footage, obtained by Usmagazine.com, Jackson is seen dancing across the stage as a variety of pyrotechnics go off. Everything seems to be going well until the sixth take, when the fireworks go off too early. As Jackson dances across the stage, his hair is almost immediately ignited on fire by faulty pyrotechnics. At first the pop star does not realize his head is engulfed inflames and continues dancing.
Several stagehands are seen rushing to Jackson, where they throw him to the ground and spray him down with a fire extinguisher.
The accident which occurred in L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 1984 was well documented in the media, but footage of the actual incident was never released.
According to US Magazine, the incident which left Jackson with second and third-degree burns sparked the late pop legend's lethal addiction to prescription pain killers.
"Jackson was prescribed several medications -- which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery," multiple sources told the publication.
