Dangerous viral trend has students setting laptops on fire, prompting school evacuations

Hindustan Times

09-05-2025

What began as another viral stunt on TikTok has quickly escalated into a national safety concern, with students across the US deliberately setting their laptops on fire as part of a reckless online trend.
Dubbed the #ChromebookChallenge, the trend involves inserting conductive objects, such as paper clips, springs, pushpins, or even mechanical pencil lead, into the laptop's charging port. The result? Electrical short circuits that can spark smoke, flames, and school-wide chaos, reported the New York Post.
Connecticut has emerged as a hotspot for these incidents, most notably at Newington High School, which had to be evacuated last week after a student's device started spewing smoke.
'The room at the time of the fire was filling with smoke,' Newington fire marshal DJ Zordon told NBC Connecticut.
But the trend has spread far beyond the state's borders. Reports have surfaced in school districts across California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington, where officials are warning students and parents of the risks.
'It's more than just a trend,' Zordon said.
'It causes a lot of disruption. The school has to be evacuated, firefighters respond to the firehouse and subsequently to the scene, it takes resources from any other emergencies that might be happening at that time.'
On TikTok, variations of the trend exist under names like #ChromebookDurabilityTest and #FStudent. The videos often show students laughing as they sabotage their laptops, waiting for smoke to rise while mocking schoolwork with captions like, 'anything but work.'
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In Connecticut alone, schools in Southington, Cromwell, Derby, and Newington have all reported similar incidents. In neighbouring East Fishkill, New York, fire officials issued stern warnings after another case surfaced.
TikTok has stated that it removed 99.7% of dangerous content proactively from October to December last year. Still, the speed at which this trend has spread has raised questions about the platform's ability to contain harmful challenges. Dangerous acts can be reported under TikTok's 'Dangerous activities and challenges' category, but many say enforcement lags behind viral growth.
In the meantime, the consequences are adding up. Schools are facing expensive repairs and significant class disruptions, while local police departments, like in Providence, Rhode Island, are warning that students could face criminal charges for setting their devices alight.
Students caught engaging in the trend may also be subject to school disciplinary actions.
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As experts urge parents to discuss the serious risks with their children, educators are scrambling to stay ahead of a trend that's spreading faster than they can contain it.