Mayde Creek JH Students Suffered Smoke Inhalation After Cell Phone Battery Started Smoking

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

February 15, 2020

By Jennifer Miko and Natalie Cook Clark

Just before noon yesterday, a student's cell phone battery started giving off smoke inside the Mayde Creek Junior High School cafeteria in Katy. Several students suffered from smoke inhalation.

On Friday, February 14, a student’s cell phone battery began to smoke in the cafeteria of Mayde Creek Junior High (MCJH), located in the 2700 block of Greenhouse Road near I-10/Katy Freeway.

Ten Students Taken to the Hospital

Ten students were taken to local hospitals or medical facilities, and all have been discharged.

“There were some students that were distressed because of the situation. Those students were taken to our nurse’s office and those that suffered from smoke inhalation were transported by our EMS units,” says Maria Dipetta, Manager, Media Relations and Multimedia for Katy ISD.

Statement from the Principal

MCJH principal, Dr. David Paz, issued the following communication soon after the media reported the incident, and a news chopper still hovered over the campus:

Dear Mayde Creek Junior High (MCJH) Parents/Guardians and Staff,

The purpose of this message is to inform you that today during lunch a student’s cell phone battery began to smoke. Students in the cafeteria were immediately relocated to the gym. The campus did not need to be evacuated and remained on schedule. Any student experiencing distress from the smoke were referred to the nurse. EMS services were called to the campus to provide additional medical services as needed.

I would like to reassure parents that the safety of our students at MCJH and throughout Katy ISD is a top priority.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Paz Principal Mayde Creek Junior High

According to Katy ISD Police Chief Robert Jinks, the student who owned the cell phone is not facing disciplinary action.

“From the video, I don’t think he intended to do it. You can see him patting the phone," says Jinks. "I don’t think he intended for it to catch fire,”

"The safety of our students is the priority at Katy ISD," says Dipetta

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