On 25 October 2024, approximately 35 students from Victory Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Thiruvottiyur were rushed to nearby hospitals after experiencing breathing difficulties and fainting, which were reportedly linked to a gas leak with an unpleasant odour.
Currently, nearly 20 students remain under treatment at various hospitals, while others were released after outpatient care.
Students reported noticing the foul smell for the past two days, and on 25th October at around 12:30 PM. They began experiencing throat irritation and breathing problems due to the odor. Although they alerted their teachers, the initial response was limited to providing hot water. By around 2:30 PM, students from Classes 6 to 10 on a specific floor began to faint one after another, prompting teachers to transport them to a nearby government hospital in Theradi.
Parents who gathered near the school and the hospital expressed their anger over not being informed about their children’s condition until 4 PM.
காலை பத்தரை மணிக்கு வாயுக் கசிவால் மயக்கம்.. மாலை வரை மவுனம் ஏன்..? பள்ளிக்கு எதிராக போர்க்குரல்…#Chennai | #GasLeak | #SchoolStudents | #PrivateSchool | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/U4mGcrViWm
— Polimer News (@polimernews) October 26, 2024
A senior official from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) suggested that the incident may have been caused by a gas leak from the school laboratory, but emphasized that this has yet to be confirmed as an investigation is ongoing. He mentioned that of the approximately 30 affected students, all but one are in stable condition, with one female student transferred to Government Stanley Hospital for further care.
Thiruvottiyur MLA KP Shankar visited the Tsunami Relief Government Hospital, promising that the government would cover all medical expenses for the affected students.
Police officials who examined the scene indicated that the likelihood of a gas leak from the laboratory impacting the students was low, as the lab is situated on the opposite side of the building from where most students were affected. However, the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.
(With Inputs From TNIE)
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