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North Carolina school evacuated when Chromebook begins to smolder

LEWISVILLE, North Carolina — Officials are warning about something many kids have in their backpacks right now.

A Chromebook caught fire Wednesday, causing an entire school to be evacuated.

A student in Lewisville, North Carolina was using it when it overheated and started smoldering.

The laptop was not charging at the time.

Fire officials think it had to do with the battery.

Until they know for sure, the entire district is pulling Chromebooks out of school; about 20,000 computers in all.

Our affiliate in North Carolina is waiting to receive a response from Google, but we do know students across DeKalb County have Chromebooks as part of the district's "Digital Dreamers" program.

The laptops are in most middle and high schools.

Schools that don't have laptops for every student -have ones they can borrow.

They can use Chromebooks during the school day, after the school day or can check them out.

The goal is to expand the program into elementary schools.