Tiruvottiyur school hit again by 'gas leak'; 4 students faint

CHENNAI: Four students of the Victory Matric Higher Secondary School in Tiruvottiyur fainted after experiencing chills and a foul smell on Monday morning as the private school reopened about 10 days after an incident of a suspected gas leak on October 25.

Shortly after the first few classes, four students of class 6 swooned, triggering a panic among students and staff and the parents rushing to the school. Three of these students had experienced breathing difficulty after the suspected gas leak last week and were admitted to the hospital. They were discharged on their recovery.

"I felt chills and three others also had a similar feeling. We informed our teacher who turned off the fan and asked us to rest on the last bench. There was a burning smell that made me feel giddy. I became unconscious after some time and was taken to a private hospital nearby," said one of the students. She was kept in observation at the private hospital as she was running a fever.

On Monday evening, another student was discharged as her vitals were normal and giddiness subsided, while the other two students are under observation at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital. The dean of the hospital Dr P Balaji said the students mentioned having experienced a burn-like smell when they fainted but their clinical parameters were normal and they are doing well. However, there is no clarity on what caused these symptoms.

After the school management alerted them, parents rushed to the school in panic and evacuated their wards on suspicion of another gas leak. On October 25, as many as 35 students were affected by a suspected gas leak, said to be from the laboratory on the third floor of the school building.

The students had experienced chest pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, and breathing difficulties earlier. The source of the gas leak is still under investigation and the school staff say they are not aware of what could have triggered the reaction.

Dr Sathia Kumar, chief physician from Sugam Hospital said two children who were taken to the hospital on Monday complained of dizziness. The symptoms were not very severe compared to the earlier hospitalisation. "Four admitted last time had mentioned to have inhaled some gas. This time, they reported to have just felt an odour," said Dr Sathia Kumar.

OCTOBER 25 INCIDENT:

•  35 students taken ill after suspected gas leak from the school's lab
•  Students from about six classes on the third floor of the school building, close to the chemistry lab experienced chest pain, abdominal pain, vomiting and breathing difficulty and were evacuated immediately
•  26 students who fainted and turned unconscious were rushed to the Government Urban Community Health Centre in Tiruvottiyur and two of them were later referred to Stanley GH