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.
Source: Punch
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