PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — On Monday, three individuals were hospitalized after a student at a Providence middle school reportedly engaged in a hazardous TikTok trend, as stated by fire officials.
Emergency teams were dispatched to DelSesto Middle School at approximately 10:45 a.m. due to reports of people feeling unwell, according to Battalion Chief Edward Dwyer who spoke with Nexstar’s WPRI.
Dwyer indicated that the cause of the incident was attributed to the “Chromebook Challenge,” a trend where students attempt to short-circuit their laptops by inserting objects into the charging ports.
In this case, someone reportedly stuck lead into a Chromebook, causing it to smoke.
Two students were taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, while a teacher was transported to Miriam Hospital, both located in Providence.
In a letter to the DelSesto community, Principal Ashley Ferranti said the individuals were hospitalized out of an abundance of caution due to concerns over smoke inhalation.
“This is very concerning behavior and disruptive to the learning environment. It is a threat to school safety and students caught doing this will face immediate disciplinary action,” Ferranti wrote.
She urged parents and guardians to talk with their children about the dangers and consequences of participating in such trends, adding that it also violates Providence Public Schools’ Take Home Device Policy.
The incident remains under investigation.
