DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — It’s been a little over a year since a chemistry experiment at Dinwiddie High School went horribly wrong and sent four people to the hospital. The school system confirmed that, following his temporary leave, the teacher involved has returned to his position.
The chemistry class dissolved into disarray on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, when an experiment involving methanol caused a phenomenon called flame-jetting, sending a blaze across the room, burning four people and sending them to the hospital.
One of those hospitalized was the teacher. Ann Baskervill, the Dinwiddie County Commonwealth’s Attorney at the time, decided not to pursue charges against him.
Jey Bryant, one of the three students hospitalized, was intubated and spent nearly two weeks in intensive care, according to his father, Chris Bryant.
“The swelling was so bad at first,” Chris said. “I didn’t recognize my own child.”
Following the incident, the Dinwiddie County Public Schools’ superintendent, Kari Weston, admitted students in the classroom said they had been missing protective gear like goggles, and there wasn’t a proper safety barrier between the experiment and the audience, as per Chemical Safety Board regulations.
“This is a horrific incident that took place and it should never take place in any school, any classroom,” Weston announced at a press event last October.
Superintendent Weston also insisted school leaders and administrators are dedicated to safety and plan to follow all guidelines in place moving forward.
