Thirteen Students Suffocate in Lagos

There was pandemonium in Ogba, Lagos on Thursday afternoon when thirteen Students, 12 girls and one boy of Ogba Junior Grammar School, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria fainted during school hours after inhaling substance suspected to be chemicals.

This is the second time an incident of this nature is taking place in the same area. Last year, 25 students fainted after inhaling chemicals in the same school and in the same classroom, and started vomiting before they were rushed to the hospital.

The school was immediately shut, all students, teachers and petty traders were immediately evacuated and the affected students rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for medical attention.

The source of the chemical is yet to be determined as at the time of filing this report, but officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) were on ground trying to ascertain the source of gas leakage.

General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osayintolu told our correspondent that the twelve students affected have been rushed to LASUTH adding that they are responding to treatment.

He could not say if the affected students fainted, suffocated or were unconscious but said that they sustained injuries probably during the evacuation exercise and that they are currently responding to treatment. He said that experts from LASEPA are already combing the school to ascertain the source of the gas emission.

But Chairman Ojodu Local Council Development Area, Mr. James Oloro told reporters that the students fainted after inhaling the substance adding that the Ogba Shopping Arcade, which houses a commercial bank, other business establishment and the school will remain shut until the source of the strange gas is unraveled.

Meanwhile both the school and the Ogba Shopping Arcade have been shut with all the inhabitants evacuated. Parents and relatives have continued to visit the school to check on their loved ones.

A father whose identify could not be ascertained told reporters that his 13 year old daughter, Zubridat was affected incident and was in the process of combing nearby hospital for her daughter when he was directed to LASUTH.

It will be recalled that about 25 students of the same school fainted, vomited and were rushed to hospital last year. But a young man who does not want his name in print said the incident took place in the same school, in the same classroom and on Thursday just like October 31, 2013.

Among the affected students are Tijani Memuna, Subreaat Oladokun, Adebiyi Taiwo, Muiz Rodiat, Ogungbami Omolade, Onaigbe Blessing, Rasaq Gbolahan, Modupe Idowu and Karimot Akiyode.

Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos