30 students, teacher hospitalised after gas leakage in Ogun school

By James Ogunnaike

No fewer than 30 students and a teacher were, on Wednesday, hospitalised following a suspected gas leak at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The incident, which occurred shortly after the morning assembly, reportedly threw the school into panic as a strange gaseous substance spread across the premises, leaving several students and staff gasping for breath.

Eyewitnesses said the situation quickly turned chaotic as many of the affected students began to collapse.

“They suddenly started coughing and struggling to breathe. Some fainted on the spot,” a source disclosed.

The affected students, alongside a teacher, were immediately evacuated to the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for urgent medical attention.

While the exact cause of the incident remains unclear, opinions among sources were divided. Some linked it to a possible gas emission within the school, while others attributed it to a chemical odour believed to have emanated from the laboratory during a practical session for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

It was further gathered that a laboratory apparatus may have accidentally fallen during the exercise, allegedly releasing a substance that permeated the school environment.

Reacting, the Vice Principal (Junior School), Mrs Adeola Borogun, dismissed claims of an explosion, describing the incident as a “strange chemical odour” that triggered immediate emergency response.

“It was not an explosion. We perceived a strange smell within the premises, and some students began vomiting and fainting. We promptly contacted the General Hospital for ambulances,” she said.

Also confirming the development, the Chief Medical Director of the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, Dr Banjo Adeoye, disclosed that 30 students and one teacher were treated at the facility.

“Most of them are stable and responding well to treatment. However, the exact substance responsible is yet to be identified,” Adeoye stated.

Similarly, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Hon. Dare Alebiosu, who visited the victims at the hospital, assured that all affected persons were in stable condition and that no life was lost.

“The situation is under control. We will carry out a thorough investigation to determine the cause,” he said, urging parents to monitor their children for any unusual symptoms.

On his part, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, described the incident as a gas leakage, noting that efforts were underway to ascertain its source.

“Some say it originated from the school laboratory, while others believe it came from the surrounding community. We are deploying a gas analyser to determine the type and concentration,” he said.

Oresanya, however, ruled out the possibility of industrial pollution.

“There is no industrial gas facility in the area, so it cannot be industrial pollution,” he added.

He also dismissed reports of an explosion.

“There was no explosion whatsoever. It is simply a gas leakage from an unknown source. The affected students are stable and doing well,” the commissioner assured.

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