These are the first pictures of a schoolgirl engulfed in a fireball that burned her lungs and skin in a school science experiment gone wrong.
Now, the mother of injured Annelise Lopes Andrade, 16, has reported her daughter’s school in the city of Anapolis in the Brazilian state of Goias to the police, alleging negligence.
As the pictures show the teen is still hospitalised in the state capital Goiania following the bungled science experiment that took place at the Colegio Heli Alves on 30th November.
Mum Diolange Lopes Carneiro said that despite the horrific burns that left her needing a tracheotomy her daughter was recovering surprisingly well.
But she still needs medical care, and no date has yet been set for her discharge.
According to the mum, the unnamed teacher in question had asked her students to film a video about “invisible fire”. But because they were unable to see the flame after lighting it, had tried to add more fuel resulting in the explosion.
Annelise and three of her classmates were in a group and met up in a classroom to perform the experiment, which injured only Annelise.
Her mum said: “Her classmate took ethanol, and he was allowed to go in with a container of it and her group was allowed to conduct the experiment in the classroom unaccompanied. I believe there was negligence on the school’s part.”
She added: “Her classmate took a container with ethanol and the group used a larger amount than necessary. The recommended amount was 46 percent alcohol, like what is sold on the market. But I don’t blame the classmate for the ethanol.”
Classes were taking place online at the time, and the group had asked to be allowed to go into school to record the science experiment.
Headteacher Marcos Gomes said at the time that the students had not advised that they would use ethanol.
He was quoted as saying: “They said they were going to film a presentation, but they didn’t explain what they were going to do. They said they set fire to the alcohol, but they thought it hadn’t caught fire. So, they went to put more [alcohol] on and there was this explosion.”
Following the explosion, workers heard the girl’s screams and took her to a shower until the emergency services arrived.
The school has reportedly been cooperating with the police.
