Years ago, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission realised that blowing up mannequins was the most effective way to demonstrate the importance of fireworks safety. The city of Poznań, Poland, has taken a similar approach when it comes to teaching kids about fire safety, but using an incredibly detailed miniature doll house that can simulate a blazing inferno.
Developed by the city’s fire department alongside a local software company, the 1:12-scale house has three floors packed with countless fire hazards, including cigarettes left smouldering on beds, over-loaded power outlets, and a distracted dad in the kitchen preparing dinner. At the push of a button on a connected tablet app, any of these scenarios can ignite and turn deadly, turning Barbie’s dream house into Barbie’s death trap.
If I had seen this demonstration when I was a kid, I probably wouldn’t have gone anywhere near a cake or candle the next time my birthday rolled around.
[YouTube via Strazacki.pl via Hackaday]