Student Tries To Dry Acetone With Lighter

Madison High School’s 1,060 students were evacuated for about 20 minutes after a senior accidentally set himself and the carpet in the school’s common area on fire.

The student, who works as a custodial aide during one class period, was helping remove paint from the carpet with acetone, a strong paint thinner, when he got some of it on his hand, Madison Superintendent Brent Orr said.

The student set his hand on fire when he tried to use a cigarette lighter to dry it. School officials would not release the name of the boy, who suffered minor burns, Orr said Thursday.

The boy flapped his hand against the side of his leg to put the flames out. In the process, he ignited and knocked over the gallon container of paint thinner, causing the carpet to burn for about 20 feet, Orr said.

The student grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the blaze before the fire department got there. But the alarms went off and Madison High School students were evacuated for about 20 minutes while firefighters set up equipment to clean smoke out of the building.

Madison Fire Chief Spencer Larsen said he advised school officials to use a smaller container of paint thinner in the future. Orr said the district no longer will use volatile substances at all in the presence of students.

“It’s too dangerous,” he said.