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.
Source: punch