A fiery eruption of death would consume you whole. To test what would happen if a person fell into a lave lake, a bag of organic trash was tossed 80 meters into Erta Ale’s lava lake, resulting in a violent explosion of fire and ash.  Imagine the lava art that could be made…

Incineration of waste in Erta Ale Volcanoes lava lake. It is frequently discussed whether it is possible to sink in lava. Due to its high density, a person would generally be expected to remain on the surface. Indeed it is possible to briefly walk on certain types of lava if professional heat-protective clothing is worn (do not try yourself). However, the video shows that falling from a height, a person would be able to penetrate the crust of the lake and submerge in it. The test was performed with a box of camp waste (largely food rests) in a bin bag. Estimated weight 30kg, Size 60x60x60cm. Fall height, about 80m. The lake reacts with violent lava fountaining activity, presumably in part due to steam produced from the organic matter.

The lava lake at Erta Ale has persisted for many years and contains relatively fluid basaltic lava. Only few volcanoes have such lakes.

Tags: eruption, fall into lava, volcano, what happens when