🔥BELLEVILLE TEEN CHARGED IN TIKTOK-INSPIRED 'CHROMEBOOK CHALLENGE'

A 15-year-old student is facing serious charges after a Chromebook caught fire at Belleville High School in what authorities suspect was part of a dangerous TikTok trend.

The incident unfolded around 9 a.m. Thursday, prompting the school’s evacuation. Firefighters and police arrived to find a scorched Chromebook smoldering just outside the building. According to investigators, a staff member had noticed the laptop emitting smoke and quickly removed it from the classroom.

Police say the teen inserted the metal lead from a mechanical pencil into the device’s charging port—an act tied to a viral challenge that encourages tampering with Chromebook ports to trigger battery failures and smoke eruptions.

The student has been charged with arson and criminal mischief.

“This is not just smoke—it’s thermal runaway,” warned Belleville Fire Captain Chase Hamilton. “Once that battery starts to fail, it can rapidly overheat to the point of explosion.”

Even after the smoke subsides, fire officials say the danger isn’t over.

“Lithium batteries can reignite hours later,” said Fire Chief John Olivieri. “People assume it’s safe and bring it back inside, only to have a fire start later on.”

The alarming trend has triggered warnings from police and fire departments across the Tri-State area, urging parents and students to understand the real-world consequences.

“This may not have been done with malicious intent,” said Belleville Police Chief Mark Minichini, “but teens need to understand the severity. They're risking their safety, the safety of classmates, and the lives of first responders.”

TikTok has since taken action by blocking searches related to “Chromebook fires” and other related phrases.