Just four months after some school children collapsed after inhaling gaseous substances in Lagos, not less than 13 students of the Ogba Junior Grammar School located at the Ogba area of the state on Thursday lost consciousness, as they were affected after inhaling gaseous substances while in school.
Some of the students were rushed to the hospital after their shout for help caused pandemonium in the area where the school is located.
It was learnt that while in school at about 1pm, the students in a particular class suddenly started collapsing; and 13 of the students, 12 girls and one boy, fainted.
As this happened, many of the students fled the class while the school’s management shut down activities.
Some of the affected students who were later admitted at the Surgical Emergency Ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) include Memuna Tijani, Subeadat Oladokun, Taiwo Adebiyi, Rodiat Muiz, Omolade Ogunbami, Blessing Onaigbe, Karimot Akiyode, Modupe Idowu and Rasak Gbolahan. They were still receiving treatment when Huhuonline.com visited the hospital on Thursday evening.
The gaseous substances were later discovered to have emanated from the Ogba Shopping Complex, which shares the same wall with the school. The complex has several small shops that produce materials using chemicals.
The discovery was made by officials of the Lagos Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who carried out the rescue operation.
The state government has since commenced investigation to ascertain the type of chemicals that contaminated the air.
Speaking about the incident, General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency was quick to intervene, which saved the situation.
“Students are responding to treatment very well, but we have condoned off the school and the building associated with that area. We are doing that to allow us carry out risk assessment and analysis on the place. We are appealing to our people not to panic, because the state is on top of the challenge”.
He did not give the extent or the severity of the incident, saying only the doctors could give details.
In November last year, 25 students of the same school were affected by a similar occurrence, causing government officials to seal off the shopping complex, but it was reopened few days after.
