A Waynesburg College student has sued the school in federal court, claiming he was disfigured in an accident that happened while he was working on the set of a play as part of a requirement for his theater class.

Steven E. Hawkins was operating a 10-inch compound miter saw in the school's Performing Arts Center on Feb. 23 when his left sleeve was pulled into the blade area, according to the lawsuit.

Mr. Hawkins, of Morgantown, W.Va., suffered broken fingers and other serious injuries to his left hand, the lawsuit states. His left hand and thumb had to be reattached, but the thumb was subsequently amputated.

Mr. Hawkins and several other students were working on the stage sets and props for the school's spring musical when the accident happened, the lawsuit states.

Mr. Hawkins was enrolled in an introductory theater class and was required by the professor, who was not named in the lawsuit, to accumulate theater experience outside the classroom, according to the lawsuit.

Mr. Hawkins accused the school of failing to provide training and instruction to students in the proper use of the saws, failing to provide supervision for the students using dangerous machinery and failing to take reasonable precautions to warn students of the dangers.