Juliana Francis
At least 22 students of the Ogba Junior Grammar School, Lagos State, are battling to stay alive in hospitals. The students were rushed to nearest hospitals today after 22 of them suddenly fell unconscious during school hours.
It was gathered that there was a chemical producing company in a shopping complex, adjacent the school. Apparently, this chemical substance stench enveloped the entire school.
At least 22 students of the Ogba Junior Grammar School, Lagos State, are battling to stay alive in hospitals. The students were rushed to nearest hospitals today after 22 of them suddenly fell unconscious during school hours.
It was gathered that there was a chemical producing company in a shopping complex, adjacent the school. Apparently, this chemical substance stench enveloped the entire school.
Worried
parents, guardians and relatives had besieged the school, frantically searching
and calling for their kids and wards.
It was also
learned that as the affected students collapsed, the teachers and other
students took to their heels.
The fleeing teachers and students were said to
have used clothes to cover their nostrils so as not to be affected by the
putrid smell.
Eye witnesses however insisted that not all the teachers bolted. Those who stayed behind were said to have rushed four of the pupils to Blue Cross Hospital, Ijaiye Road, while others were taken to Lagos State General hospital.
Eye witnesses however insisted that not all the teachers bolted. Those who stayed behind were said to have rushed four of the pupils to Blue Cross Hospital, Ijaiye Road, while others were taken to Lagos State General hospital.
Another eyewitness explained that the incident
happened at about 1: pm.
According to
the eye witness, he was going inside the school when he saw some teachers and students
running away from the school premises, shouting that some students had lost consciousness.
He added: "I can’t say the exact number of students affected, but they were over 20. A few minutes later, emergency officials came around to attend to the victims."
He said rescue officials went round the school premises in a bid to identify where the smell emanated from.
Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, said it was discovered that a laboratory located in a shopping 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 was facing the school directly.
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. If it is discovered that the laboratory was being 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.”
Among the students rushed to Blue Cross Hospital, four had been transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
He added: "I can’t say the exact number of students affected, but they were over 20. A few minutes later, emergency officials came around to attend to the victims."
He said rescue officials went round the school premises in a bid to identify where the smell emanated from.
Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, said it was discovered that a laboratory located in a shopping 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 was facing the school directly.
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. If it is discovered that the laboratory was being 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.”
Among the students rushed to Blue Cross Hospital, four had been transferred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
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