VIDEO: A new and concerning trend is gaining traction on TikTok, and itโs led to the evacuations of some schools across Connecticut. Students are recording themselves sticking items like pencils and springs into the charging ports of their Chromebooks to set them on fire.
Newington High School was evacuated last week due to the trend, according to officials.
โOn Thursday, I was alerted by both my director of security and high school principal that we had a Chromebook that was smoking,โ Dr. Maureen Brummett, superintendent of Newington Public Schools, said.
โWe were able to do an investigation with student interviews and other methods that we use, and it became clear that the damage was done intentionally. That it wasnโt a malfunctioning Chromebook, but rather a student had intentionally done things to it that caused it to smoke and eventually melt,” she continued.
Brummett said she doesnโt know why students are participating in this trend, but that itโs destructive, expensive and dangerous.
โChromebooks are expensive and theyโre going up in price, so when a student does intentionally destroy a Chromebook, itโs their responsibility to replace it,โ she said. โWe have [an] insurance program but itโs not covering intentional damage.โ
Smoke filled the classroom and firefighters rushed to the scene.
โThe room at the time of the fire was filling with smoke,โ Newington fire marshal DJ Zordon said. โWe did see video from students โฆ and thatโs one of the biggest things. The batteries that are essentially catching on fire, once they burn, theyโre producing this toxic smoke.โ
