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Teacher's Conduct Scrutinized In 'Rainbow' Chem Experiment That Burned Students
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 4, 2014
Modified Jan 4, 2014
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 4, 2014
Modified Jan 4, 2014
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The investigation continues into the Manhattan high school chemistry demonstration-gone-wrong that left one student with extremely serious third-degree burns and another with first-degree burns. The demonstration, which is used to show how mineral salts burn at different colors, has injured numerous other students in the past, alarming a federal agency enough to issue a warning.
On Thursday morning, Beacon School teacher Anna Poole was starting the "rainbow experiment" in her 10th grade chemistry class. The demonstration included mineral salts being involved with extremely flammable methanol. However, when Poole added methanol, a fireball grew and consumed 16-year-old Alonzo Yanes.
A student said of Alonzo, "He could not move… He was on the floor. It was like a Hazmat fire. His skin was melting and scabbed… He was burned from his torso up to his hair. Literally, his left side of his hair, I could not see. This side of his ear, the left, was twisted. His skin was melting. His eyelids were kind of messed up. His skin, a lot of it was melting. I was like, 'Wow.'"
Another student, 16-year-old Julia Saltonsall, was also burned. Her father, David Saltonsall, who is now Comptroller Stringer's policy director, told the NY Times that her t-shirt was burned off, as well as some of her hair: "She came so close to being so much more badly hurt... All of us feel just so terrible for Alonzo and the struggle he has ahead." Alonzo is in critical condition at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The Post reports, "the teacher poured the highly flammable alcohol out of a gallon container rather than having on hand only the few milli-liters necessary, one source said, speaking of the ongoing investigation on condition of anonymity." Poole also allegedly didn't realize that there was still a fire burning in one of the crucibles.
Further, there are questions about whether the students should have been wearing goggles or other safety gear; according to the Daily News, "The department’s Science Safety Manual says students 'must wear goggles and other protective equipment when appropriate.' But it is vague on whether they should wear the gear while watching a routine experiment like the one Poole was performing."
The DOE spokesperson said, "What the students experienced yesterday was an extremely unfortunate accident. While we are investigating what occurred, our thoughts and prayers are with the students and families affected. We’re determined to get to the bottom of this so that it never happens again." Poole has not been suspended and is still teaching. But the experiment's value is questioned. From the Times:
Methanol is highly flammable and has a very low boiling point, chemistry experts said, so that it quickly produces flammable vapors even at room temperature. Any spark, even static electricity in winter, can ignite them, said David J. Leggett, 68, a veteran consultant on lab safety issues in Playa del Rey, Calif.
“I would frankly question the use of methanol in an experiment that is simply going to say look kids, look at the colors,” he said.
Here's the U.S. Chemical Board's PSA about the experiment—Calais Weber describes how her teacher did the experiment at a desk with the students (not wearing goggles) watching and how she took the brunt of the ensuing explosion:
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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