DEPUTIES TO HOST BLOOD DRIVE FOR TEEN BURN VICTIM.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

A Hart High School student severely burned when a classroom science experiment exploded got a visit Tuesday from Los Angeles County sheriff's officials, who are planning to host a blood drive.

Lt. Tom Spencer, who heads the Sheriff's Department's Arson and Explosives Detail, visited Chris James, who suffered third-degree burns over 35 percent of his body. Spencer also spoke with James' mother, who has been keeping a constant vigil.

``He's holding his own,'' said Spencer, who is heading the team investigating the Nov. 25 mishap. ``He is conscious at times. He's doing the best he can.''

Spencer had planned to visit Nolan LeMar, who suffered burns to 12 percent of his body, but the 17-year-old was undergoing skin grafts. LeMar may be released late this week.

Spencer said he asked James' family how the Sheriff's Department could help, and discussed holding a deputy blood drive next week to build up reserves for the teen's use.

``The best thing that he can get is fresh blood and we plan to keep him fulfilled with that,'' Spencer said. ``We can always get deputy personnel to donate blood.''

Hart High School already has scheduled a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in its Strauss Gymnasium, 24825 N. Newhall Ave. For information, call [phone].

Spencer's team also plans to interview some three dozen officials and witnesses as it tries to establish the cause of the explosion.

``We're trying to find out if there was any negligence involved,'' Spencer said. ``If so, then to what degree? What instructions were the students given?''

Sheriff's officials said that while their findings may not lead to a filing with the District Attorney's Office, it may lead to changes within the William S. Hart High School District.

``The way it looks right now, there's no criminal intent,'' Spencer said. ``The school is making every attempt to working with us. They are very distraught as to what happened.''

School officials have suspended the use of experiments that use highly flammable methanol pending the completion of the investigation.

The two 17-year-olds were injured when a methanol-fueled classroom experiment exploded on the football field of Hart High School. A third student, Jesse Honea, was treated for minor injuries at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and released the same day.

The teens were among 30 students gathered on the football field to launch tennis balls from makeshift cannons as part of a supervised physics experiment used districtwide to demonstrate velocity. They reportedly had ignited the methanol fuel to launch the balls, but saw no reaction. They were looking down the barrel when the methanol exploded.