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A 16-year-old student from Baker High School in Baldwinsville has been charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment after allegedly starting a fire at the school. The incident occurred on Wednesday (May 14) when the student inserted a screwdriver into a Chromebook, causing it to short-circuit and emit smoke. This act was reportedly part of the "Chromebook Challenge," a dangerous social media trend that encourages students to insert metal objects into the USB ports of their laptops.
According to CNY Central, the fire alarms went off at around 2:18 p.m., prompting an evacuation of the school. The North West Fire District and the Baldwinsville Police Department quickly responded to the scene. Fortunately, no students or staff were injured during the incident.
The Baldwinsville Central School District has charged the student's family $220 for the damage to the Chromebook. As reported by Syracuse.com, the student has been released to a parent and is scheduled to appear in Youth Part Court at a later date.
The school district has warned families about the dangers of the "Chromebook Challenge" and emphasized the potential risks associated with this trend. The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has also issued an alert about the challenge, highlighting the risk of lithium-ion batteries going into thermal runaway, which can release flammable and toxic vapors.
The incident has prompted discussions at all three Baldwinsville secondary schools to educate students on the dangers of participating in such online challenges. The district is committed to ensuring the safety of its students and preventing similar incidents in the future.