Teacher sacked after two girls set on fire during school play

A teacher has been sacked after a box students were hiding in burst into flames

One of the girls affected remains in hospital, while the other has returned to classes

A teacher has been sacked after part of a stage set burst into flames during a school play, leaving two students with severe burns.

Secondary school girls Veronica, 16, and Athziri, 17, were rushed to hospital after they were caught in an on-stage fire in the school theatre in Izucar de Matamoros, central Mexico.

The incident occurred when a student was instructed to throw a lit candle into a cardboard prop Veronica and Athziri were hiding in, setting it on fire.

In a video clip released online, one of the students is seen running off stage while another tries to extinguish the flames burning her left arm and hair.

The teacher responsible for the play had told the students the production should be as real as possible, according to Mirror Online.

Athziri is still being treated in hospital for second degree burns, while Veronica was released a few days after the incident and has returned to classes.

The family of one of the girls demanded that the teacher be sacked, saying there were not enough security and safety measures in place.

The students’ medical bills were not covered by the school’s insurance company, which argued the fire had not been accidental and did not come under the policy.

The school said: “The teacher responsible for the class has been removed from the institution, after an investigation uncovered an omission on his part during the planning of the activity.”