Student’s Left Ear Melted During School Chemistry Experiment

A teacher set a student on fire after a bungled chemistry experiment which left the youngster looking like a “victim from a battlefield”.

The 16-year old pupil’s left ear melted and he suffered third degree burns after the teacher tried to produce multi-coloured flames by using an explosive substance.

Instead, the experiment produced a fireball which shot across the classroom and left student Alonzo Yanes writhing in agony.

Teacher Anna Poole, 31, who had no fire blanket or extinguisher to help the youngster, screamed: “Oh my God, I set a kid on fire”, according to a damning report into the incident at the prestigious Beacon School, in New York.

Another teacher smothered the flames by running into the room with a blanket.

The injured student’s lawyer, Jeffrey Bloom, said: “It’s very clear from the report that they conducted an experiment that they had been warned…was dangerous.

“As a result a gifted, talented young man has scars, physical and mental, that are going to be with him forever.”

The student suffered burns to his face, neck and torso and hasn’t returned to school since the incident in January. A second student suffered minor burns.

The experiment involved burning various salts, and the students said that after the teacher poured methanol from a gallon jug, a fireball – like a blow torch erupted and shot across the room.

She wore goggles but did not give protective equipment to the students.

The report, issued by the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the city’s schools, said a school custodian described the student’s left ear as being melted.

An education department spokesman said Poole will remain reassigned while we carefully review the report and determine the appropriate action.

Content contributed by Phil Booth, reported from New York, USA, sourced by mirror.co.uk