the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Belleville NJ , a 15-year-old student from Belleville High School is facing third-degree arson and criminal mischief charges after allegedly participating in a dangerous TikTok challenge that caused a Chromebook to smolder and triggered a school evacuation, police said.
Incident Prompted Emergency Response and School Evacuation
The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, when Belleville Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of a fire at Belleville High School. A charred Chromebook was discovered outside Room 219, and officials quickly determined that the device had been deliberately tampered with to create smoke.
A staff member who noticed the laptop emitting smoke removed it from the classroom before it could ignite further, ensuring the safety of students and staff. The building was safely evacuated and later cleared for reentry after a thorough inspection.
TikTok Challenge Behind the Fire Hazard
Police say the fire hazard was linked to a TikTok “challenge” that encourages students to jam objects into Chromebook ports to create sparks, smoke, or fires. The investigation confirmed that the student intentionally manipulated the device as part of this viral trend.
Police Warn Parents About Social Media Dangers
Following the incident, Belleville police and fire officials issued a public warning to parents and guardians:
“The Belleville Police and Fire Departments strongly urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of participating in online trends that can result in serious harm or criminal charges. These actions not only endanger the individual involved but also put the safety of others at risk.”
Other Districts Report Similar Incidents
Belleville is not alone in dealing with the fallout of this hazardous trend. Millburn Public Schools also issued a warning to parents this week, citing similar cases of students damaging school-issued Chromebooks in an effort to follow the same dangerous challenge.
Millburn Superintendent Kathryn Diskin emphasized the risks of tampering with Chromebook batteries, which can lead to short circuits, smoke, or potential fires. She noted that these actions not only cause expensive damage to school property but pose a serious threat to student safety.
Tell your story #TheRidgewoodblog , #Indpendentnews, #information, #advertise, #guestpost, #affiliatemarketing,#NorthJersey, #NJ , #News, #localnews, #bergencounty, #sponsoredpost, #SponsoredContent, #contentplacement , #linkplacement, Email: Onlyonesmallvoice@gmail.com
