Student charged with setting teacher on fire

A student has reportedly set his teacher on fire before trying to avoid the cops.

After turning her back to the class, a student used a lighter to set West High School teacher Gabriela Penalba's hair and shirt on fire, the Huffington Post reported.

Other students in the Knoxville class quickly put the fire out, but the 15-year-old student used the commotion to throw the lighter out the window.

However, despite trying to escape, the teen was soon caught by police.

Media reports praised the quick-thinking of the students for preventing Penalba from being seriously burnt.

The teen, who cannot be named as he is a minor, was charged with aggravated assault and evading police.