A high school student has been hospitalised with serious injuries after catching fire during a senior automotive class. 

The student wasn’t wearing appropriate protection gear and was injured as a result. 

Ashburton College principal Ross Preece told the Herald the Year 13 student was working in the school’s automotive workshop and was using a grinder at the time. 

He wasn’t wearing a protective apron, Preece said, and the student managed to set fire to his clothes. 

Ross Preece said the school would be conducting a follow-up process into what happened. Photo / Ashburton Guardian 

Preece said the class pupils were shocked as they watched the incident unfold. 

“The class are fine and the student was standing conscious, the family have been notified,” the principal said. 

“Lesson learned, but he’s sustained a burn around his midriff.” 

Preece said the school will be conducting a follow-up process to determine of the circumstances of the accident. 

“I was speaking to one of his classmates and he said the class have been told many times to wear the correct PPE.” 

St John said it responded to the incident with an ambulance and said the person involved had serious injuries. 

The student was taken to Christchurch Hospital for treatment.