A roaring inferno can be seen engulfing a worker as he touches a high-voltage power line with a long pole.
The incredible footage shows the man stretching the instrument to make contact with something above the camera’s view.
All seems to be going well, until he takes his eyes off the end of the pole to chat with a man next to him.
In a split second, the camera goes dark as roaring flames, blue sparks, and smoke fill the screen.
At first, it appears the man has completely combusted, but as the smoke clears, he can be seen briefly struggling on the ground before going completely still.
According to reports, workers at a nearby car shop raced to his aid, deploying a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
Shopkeepers working nearby reportedly heard three explosions, likening them to the sound of fireworks.
Locals also reported seeing smoke from their doorways as the blaze took hold of the man’s clothes.
The incident reportedly happened on 3 November in Kaifeng City, in China’s Henan Province.
Local officials said the man had been taken to hospital with severe burns, but had somehow survived, reports say.
The Kaifeng Power Supply Company is said to have carried out an investigation of the scene the day after the incident and found no safety hazards.
READ MORE: ‘Strangers called my DOUBLE LIPS TEETH CURTAINS – people think it’s a filter’
