Chennai: 30 students hospitalized due to gas leak in school, 3 critically injured

A suspected gas leak caused panic at a school in Chennai's Thiruvottiyur area, PTI reported on Friday. Students were evacuated, and 30 girls were hospitalized, with three in critical condition.

"Some of us had to rush out of the classroom for fresh air," one student shared. "Even our teachers had trouble breathing, and some students fainted before teachers revived them."

According to PTI, some students felt nauseous and even vomited in class, though none had serious symptoms.

A student's mother told ANI, "My daughter had breathing trouble and vomiting two days ago, and it happened again yesterday. Today she felt dizzy and vomited, but teachers told her not to act sick. The school didn’t inform us; we found out after she was admitted to a government hospital. We later moved her to a private hospital, and she's under observation. The school has yet to update us."

After the incident, fire department officials were called in to help with rescue operations.

An initial investigation suggests that a chemical leak from the school’s laboratory might have caused the students' discomfort. Some reports also indicate that fumes from a nearby chemical factory could have contributed to the breathing issues. Authorities are currently looking into the source of the gas leak.

NDRF commander AK Chauhan said, "I cannot confirm the exact cause yet. Our team assessed the situation, and everything seems normal; we did not detect any gas."