Chromebook fire at Grosse Ile High School may be linked to viral TikTok trend, officials say
A Southeast Michigan school was evacuated last week, and a student needed medical attention after a Chromebook device caught on fire. Authorities are pointing to a viral TikTok trend and saying it could have possibly contributed to the situation.
Chromebooks are small, inexpensive laptop computers that have been commonly used for years in classrooms for online lessons, assignments and sometimes as electronic textbooks.
This spring, videos of people deliberately trying to short-circuit the small laptops picked up attention on social media in a trend nicknamed the "Chromebook challenge." The act of placing metallic items or pencils into the charging port can cause the device to short-circuit or spark, authorities say.
Adding a further hazard is that Chromebooks and similar devices use lithium-ion batteries, which can be difficult to put out should a device catch fire.
Schools and fire officials across the country are attempting to put a stop to the trend through warning letters and publicity, such as the report issued by Grosse Ile Police regarding the incident on May 8 at Grosse Ile High School in Wayne County.
A small fire that started with a Chromebook device at the high school resulted in that building being evacuated as a precaution, police said. Multiple fire departments, including Grosse Ile, Trenton and Riverview, responded to the school to check on the scene.
One student was evaluated at a local hospital as a precaution, police said.
Grosse Ile police detectives have taken over the investigation.
"Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by a hazardous social media trend that encourages inserting metal objects into electronics," the police report said. "We urge parents and guardians to talk with their children about the dangers of participating in viral challenges and unsafe online behaviors. Safety starts with awareness."
Some school districts across the country, including Denver Public Schools, have said families will be held responsible for damages in such incidents. A student in Northeast Ohio was charged with felony arson and vandalism after he tampered with a Chromebook, resulting in a classroom in that area being filled with smoke on May 9.
