PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — On Monday, three individuals were hospitalized after a student at a middle school in Providence reportedly engaged in a risky viral TikTok challenge, fire officials reported.
Emergency crews arrived at DelSesto Middle School at approximately 10:45 a.m. due to reports of people experiencing illness, as stated by Battalion Chief Edward Dwyer to WPRI, a Nexstar media partner.
According to Dwyer, the situation was caused by a trend known as the “Chromebook Challenge,” where students attempt to cause a short circuit in 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.
