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Two students and a staff member at a Providence middle school ended up in the hospital on Monday because of a super risky TikTok trend, officials declared. The Governor Christopher DelSesto Middle School kids and staff member had to go to the hospital “out of an abundance of caution” after they breathed in smoke from messing around with their school laptops, as per Principal Ashley Ferranti’s letter to the community. Firefighters rushed to the school “following reports of a laptop or tablet emitting smoke,” said Samara Pinto, a Providence City Hall spokesperson.
The incident is suspected to be linked to the TikTok “Chromebook Challenge,” where students are encouraged to stick things like paperclips and pencils into the charging ports of their school-issued laptops, Ferranti explained in the letter. Although there’s an ongoing investigation into the incident, no charges have been made yet, according to Pinto. This nationwide trend is a major fire hazard, as Massachusetts fire officials warned last week. Putting conductive objects into laptops can make them short circuit, ramping up their temperature and causing smoke, sparks, or even a fire.
“Almost all modern laptops are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which can erupt in sparks and flames when damaged or abused,” said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher. “An event like that will injure anyone close by. The fire can easily spread to clothing, bedding, upholstery, and furniture.” Even though most incidents haven’t led to injuries because of teachers intervening, the risk of someone getting hurt is still really high. “Not really sure why this matters, but…” Ferranti mentioned in the letter. “It is a threat to school safety and students caught doing this will face immediate disciplinary action.”
Another incident at Achievement First Iluminar Middle School in Cranston, R.I. happened on Friday and triggered a police investigation, as reported by WPRI. Police were called to the charter school after a Chromebook malfunctioned and filled a classroom with smoke. No one got hurt, but the school had to be evacuated when the fire alarms went off. Four 12-year-old students at the school are currently being questioned by detectives about the incident and might face arson charges if investigators find out they purposely damaged the Chromebook. Ferranti urged parents in the school community to talk to their kids about the risks of the challenge to ensure student safety. “Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like…” Ferranti wrote. “Let’s stay proactive and united in keeping our school safe.”
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