TROUP COUNTY, Ga. — A student was injured after a Chromebook caught fire inside a classroom at a Georgia elementary school.
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In a message sent to parents, Berta Weathersbee Elementary School Principal Lonnie Thornton said the incident happened during the school day when a Chromebook caught fire in a classroom on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, one student was burned,” Thornton wrote. “Their parents arrived immediately to take them for medical attention, and our hearts, thoughts, and deepest support are with this student and their family right now.”
School officials said teachers quickly evacuated the classroom, safely removed all students and removed the device from the room. Out of an abundance of caution, the entire school was then evacuated.
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The fire department responded and inspected the campus before clearing students and staff to return to the building.
While the school was deemed safe, administrators told parents they could pick up their children early if they wished. School leaders also encouraged parents of students with asthma or other breathing sensitivities to take their children home because of smoke that had been inside the building earlier in the day.
The student’s condition has not been released.
School officials did not immediately provide additional details about what may have caused the Chromebook to catch fire.
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