One student could face criminal charges after sticking scissors inside the USB port on their Chromebook, starting a fire in the process.
Schools around the United States often give students their own computers to learn and study on, whether it’s an Apple iPad or a Chromebook. While they’re often limited to school use, sometimes the devices can be brought back and forth to school each day.
A new social media trend has students intentionally damaging these devices by sticking pieces of metal or pencil lead into the USB ports, shorting them out in the process, and sometimes even puncturing the battery.
This causes toxic smoke to billow out of the Chromebooks and could potentially make them explode in the process.
Student hospitalized due to Chromebook trend
According to WFSB News, a Plainville, Connecticut student was hospitalized due to smoke inhalation after doing the viral trend.
“Through an investigation, it was determined that a middle school student intentionally stuck scissors into a laptop, causing smoke to emit from it,” said the school’s superintendent.
Due to the kid’s action, however, the school has referred them to the juvenile court to face criminal charges.
This isn’t the only incident in recent days, either. WFSB also reported that several other schools in the area have had to deal with kids doing the Chromebook Challenge, causing smoke and fires in the process.
Newington, Connecticut, Fire Marshall DJ Zordon spoke out against the challenge on Tuesday, May 6.
“The danger is not just to themselves,” Zordon told Fox61. “By tampering with the equipment, it causes more smoke than fire. We don’t want anyone inhaling that stuff. There’s potential for the batteries to explode. It endangers anybody in the immediate area as well.”
Back in 2022, Police issued a warning after the viral ‘Orbeez Challenge,’ where people shoot the water-filled beads at strangers by using readily available airsoft guns, led to two teenagers getting arrested.
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