Fire at Shaker HS prompts discussion of dangers of latest TikTok challenge
LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A local police department is investigating a fire that may have been part of the latest TikTok challenge, and it involves kids and Chromebooks.
“What the kids are doing is they're grabbing lead from lead pencils, paper clips, etc., and they're jamming it into the charging ports of the device," Computer Crisis Pres. Chris Gindi explained.
Within a couple minutes, the computer can overheat and catch fire. That may be what recently happened in a local classroom.
“The police department received a call for service for fire and police response to Shaker High School for a Chromebook that was on fire,” Colonie Police Chief James Gerace said.
No one was hurt, but some of the students in the classroom complained of some irritation from the smoke.
“We are currently investigating and conducting our interviews. No arrests have been made as of yet," Gerace said. "We are, as a police department, certainly aware of the TikTok issue, and we're trying to decide or learn if whether or not this was a part of that scam or not.”
The chief wants parents to be aware of the dangers and to talk to their kids about it. Gindi agrees.
"You're not going to be able to put it out with a fire extinguisher," he said. "There's nothing that you have around the school that's going to be able to put that fire out.”
He offered a few ideas for keeping kids safe.
“I think the biggest thing that they can do is make sure that each classroom has a lithium-ion fire blanket available that they can smother it with," he said. "The fires can be extraordinarily hot, reaching 1800 degrees Fahrenheit in some cases.”
Another issue is that the gases released are extremely toxic, Gindi said.
“Contained in those gases is hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide; both are extraordinarily dangerous to the lungs.”
The 'if you see something, say something' rule also applies.
"Let the teachers know if they see or hear about another student attempting to break apart the lead from a pencil or opening up a paper clip to try to jam it in," Gindi said. "It's not funny.”
Chief Gerace said if the fire at Shaker was intentional, it comes with serious consequences.
“It could be a reckless endangerment type issue where people were endangered by this fire, and especially in this case, I'm not even sure of whose property it was, but you can't be burning up school property; can't be burning up other people's property.”