Jackson's head on fire in online footage

NEW YORK: A US entertainment magazine has released never-seen-before footage of Michael Jackson's hair catching fire while filming a commercial in 1984, an accident it said led to an addiction to painkillers.

Jackson was filming the advertisement for Pepsi when fireworks were exploded too early, causing the superstar to suffer severe burns as his hair and scalp were engulfed in flames, according to the video Us Weekly magazine released on its website on Wednesday.

The "King of Pop," who died on June 25 from cardiac arrest at the age of 50, at first keeps dancing apparently unaware that his head is on fire. Still images of the accident have already been released but the video had never been shown publicly before.