22 Lagos Pupils Faint After Inhaling Gas -

There was confusion at Ogba Junior
Grammar School, Lagos, on Thursday after
about 22 pupils fell unconscious.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident was
caused by a gaseous substance emitting
from a neighbouring laboratory, close to
the school. The chemical was said to have
engulfed the entire school.
When our correspondent visited the school
premises, it was deserted. However, a
security guard, who did not identify
himself, said the incident occurred around
1pm.
He said, “I was just by the gate when I
perceived this offensive smell. I quickly ran
to a corner and covered my nose with my
shirt.
“Pupils came running, saying some of their
colleagues had fainted. When the smell
subsided, teachers rallied around and
rushed them to a hospital.
“I don’t know the exact number of pupils
affected but they were over 20. A few
minutes later, emergency officials came
around to attend to the victims.”
Panic-stricken teachers reportedly fled in
different directions, using clothes to cover
their nostrils so as not to be affected by
the foul smell.
Moments later, the teachers rushed four of
the pupils to Blue Cross Hospital, Ijaiye
Road, Ogba, Lagos, while the others were
attended to by emergency officials.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the rescue
officials went around the compound in a
bid to identify where the smell emanated
from.
Our correspondent learnt that the odour
was traced to Ogba Shopping Arcade, Ijaiye
Road, which shares a fence with the
affected school.
Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq
Fadipe, said it was discovered that a photo
laboratory located in the complex was
emitting the substance.
He said, “On getting to the school, 22
students were unconscious. LASAMBUS was
able to revive most of them and their
parents took them home.
“Four were not alright and had been taken
to Blue Cross Hospital. We were able to
trace the odour to the complex which
shares a fence with the school.
“We spotted the laboratory where the smell
was coming from and the place has been
cordoned off. Investigations are still on.”
When asked why it was only those in the
school that were affected by the chemical,
Fadipe said it was probably because the lab
faced the school directly.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the matter had
been reported to the police while the Lagos
State Environmental Protection Agency had
taken up the case.
An official of LASEPA, who wished to remain
anonymous, said, “We will revisit the
laboratory on Friday (today). If it is
discovered that the laboratory was run
illegally, then those running the place will
be prosecuted.
“However, it is too soon to jump into
conclusions; we will inform the public of
our findings.”
When our correspondent visited Blue Cross
Hospital, a nurse on duty said the pupils
had been revived and transferred to the
Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
“Four children were brought here and we
were able to stabilise them before
transferring them to LASUTH. We don’t
know the nature of the chemical they
inhaled,” she said.
http://www.punchng.com/news/22-lagos-
pupils-faint-after-inhaling-gas/

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.10