They were playing with fire.
A mariachi band performing on the street in Mexico got into a heated confrontation with flame-swallower, only for the disgruntled stuntman to chuck fireballs in their direction.
The white jacket-clad mariachis first started punching and kicking the flame-swallower in a dispute over a prime performance spot outside a taqueria in Morelia on Sunday, security camera footage showed.
The musicians, however, were no match for the flame-swallower, who doused the adversaries with flammable liquid and then tossed terrifying balls of bright orange flames in their directions.
The mariachis were then seen desperately fleeing the scene, several of them with their signature jackets burning.
The musicians quickly stripped off their clothing and batted out the flames – though no one returned to confront the flame-thrower.
No one was arrested over the fiery feud, and only the flame-swallower was treated at the hospital, police said.
The flame-swallower claimed that he argued with the mariachis before the fire incident, the authorities added.
Violent spats between street performers and even windshield washers are commonplace in Mexico, where the competition for tips from passersby is especially fierce.
Street vendors, also, are known for getting into fights with cudgels and even guns over the best-selling spots.