This Explosive Sex Reveal Party In Australia Proves The Trend Has Jumped The Shark

It's no secret that sex reveals, aka gender reveal parties, are a big phenomenon these days. From balloon pops to pink or blue confetti-filled pinatas, the options are endless. But lately, it seems like this trend has escalated to a potentially dangerous place. Want some proof? Look no further than this sex reveal in Australia that resulted in a fiery car explosion. Yep, you read that correctly — the big reveal literally ended in flames. Oof.

On Monday, the Queensland Police Service released drone footage from April 2018 of a dramatic (emphasis on dramatic) sex reveal party gone terribly wrong. At first, everything seems to be just fine in the video, with happy guests celebrating as a black car drives down a road, engulfed in blue smoke to let guests know that a beautiful baby boy is on the way. After the car stops, however, it explodes, causing the driver and onlookers to run for safety, according to CNN. Talk about a major fail.

Police released the footage in hopes of dissuading people from participating in what's known as a sex reveal "burnout." If you're not already familiar, this practice involves a car that's tricked out to emit clouds of pink or blue smoke, according to auto website Top Speed.

"This is the first one I've seen like this," a spokeswoman for the Queensland Police Service told The Washington Post. "Usually, people just have a cake."

Queensland Police Service Sgt. Hilton Buckley echoed this sentiment, telling 7NEWS Brisbane, according to The Washington Post: "I know people like to do unique things for gender reveals these days, but use a bit of common sense."

Although it everyone was OK following the incident, the Queensland Police arrested the then 29-year-old driver the following day and charged him with one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, Media and Public Affairs Officer Chrissie McLeod tells Romper in an email.

But this isn't the first time a sex reveal has gotten out of hand: In April 2017, for instance, a wildfire in Arizona broke out after then expectant dad Dennis Dickey, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol officer, fired his gun at a target packed with a substance called Tannerite, an explosive material, according to Newsweek. When Dickey hit the target, the Tannerite exploded, creating blue smoke and igniting nearby brush. Nearly 47,000 acres and $8 million in damage later, Dickey had to pay $220,000 in restitution and was sentenced to five years probation, according to the BBC. Luckily for Dickey, he was able to keep his job.

Listen, I have kids and I can totally understand the excitement surrounding sex reveals. But there has to be a balance between enthusiasm and safety. I think it's safe to say that some expecting parents can dial it back just a tad.

Perhaps it's best to keep these parties simple (Kate Hudson and Hilary Duff are good examples, as they both threw low-key reveals in 2018) and to leave the firearms and explosives out of the equation. At the end of the day, sex reveals shouldn't put any lives in danger.