Student Hurt in Explosion Undergoes Tracheotomy

A Santa Clarita teenager underwent his second operation for severe burns Monday, as classmates and friends criticized the high school science teacher who staged an experiment with improvised cannons that blew up in students’ faces.

“It seems there was a problem on the teacher’s part safety-wise,” said Lauren Geissler, 17, a senior at William S. Hart High School who is the student member of the Hart School District Board of Trustees.

“They weren’t even wearing goggles . . . there weren’t fire extinguishers out there,” she said, statements confirmed by a Sheriff’s Department arson investigator.

“It could’ve been prevented--everything could’ve been prevented,” said Lindsey McPhail, 17, of Valencia, a student in the physics class who witnessed the accident.

However, the families of the two seriously injured boys said it was still too early to assign blame.

On the Hart High football field last Wednesday, a class of about 35 students conducted an experiment in the velocity of flying objects by firing tennis balls from two “cannons” made of apple juice cans, propelled by an explosive chamber charged with methanol--wood alcohol.

Christopher James, 17, of Stevenson Ranch, received life-threatening burns when one of the cannons exploded in his hands, setting him afire. Nolan LeMar 17, of Castaic, who was standing nearby with a bottle of alcohol fuel, was also seriously burned. His injuries are not considered life-threatening and doctors expect him to recover fully.

“We don’t know all the facts right now,” said Nolan’s mother, Dawn LeMar, adding she had not retained an attorney.

“My husband and I have lived in this community for 35 years. We went to school here. Our children go to school here. Our grandchildren will probably go to school here. We don’t want to taint that.”

Hart High Principal Gary Fuller addressed students Monday in the first physics class since the blast. On the advice of two counselors, he said, he tried to get the students “to describe visually seeing the boys burning” as a “cathartic” experience.

“Some were still upset,” but there were no tears or emotional breakdowns as he and the counselors encouraged the class to relive the incident and “some were nonverbal,” he said.

The teacher who conducted the experiment, Thomas Magee, was not present during the session, the principal said.

“We needed to go through this process prior to that class meeting with Mr. Magee,” said Fuller. “I think there was some anger expressed, and that was to be expected.”

The teacher is expected back in class this morning.

Meanwhile school administrators say they have suspended all experiments utilizing flammable materials and have initiated a formal investigation, interviewing students and teachers who witnessed the explosion.

Los Angeles County Fire Department investigators were also on campus, but neither they nor the Sheriff’s Department had completed their incident reports Monday.

Christopher, whose windpipe and lungs were scorched by super-heated gas, underwent a tracheotomy Monday, an incision in his throat allowing him to breath easier, said Dr. A. Richard Grossman, medical director of the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

Doctors also cleaned burns on his ears, hands, arms, stomach and chest, which are now covered by cadaver skin, the doctor said. As early as next week, Grossman said, doctors may be able to begin covering the burns with skin grafts from his thighs and scalp.

“He did quite well,” Grossman said, calling the youth “stoic” and “a fighter.”

Specialists are scheduled to examine Christopher’s vocal cords, which were singed in the accident, an injury aggravated by a respirator tube lodged in his throat since Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Christopher, who cannot speak because of the tube in his throat, has been able to communicate with friends and family members at his bedside through hand signals, Grossman said.

“He’s very aware,” he said. “This morning I said ‘Squeeze my hand if you understand what’s going on.’ He squeezed my hand.”

Nolan was scheduled to have skin graft surgery today, Grossman said.

He has been up walking around and talking with his family since last week.

Dawn LeMar said her son might not have even been admitted to the world famous Grossman Burn Center if not for the good graces of the Hart School District. When the LeMars’ insurer informed them that Nolan would have to be treated at the burn center at County/USC Medical Center, Principal Fuller urged the family to go to the Grossman center anyway, assuring them that the school district would work out the financial details.

“I’ll stand accountable,” Fuller said. “We need to provide the best care possible for those boys.”

Times staff writer Scott Glover contributed to this story.