Thirteen students of Junior Secondary School, Ogba in Ikeja, Lagos State, collapsed on Thursday after inhaling an unidentified poisonous fumes discharged from one of the cottage factories in Ogba Shopping Arcade.
Th incident came four months after 25 of the students of the same school collapsed after inhaling an unidentified chemical waste discharged into drainage by a Photo Laboratory, situated in the Shopping Arcade.
General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the 13 affected students were admitted at the LASUTH and are responding to treatment, saying that the rescue operation was swift and prompt.
“They are responding to treatment very well, but however, we have condoned off the school and the building associated with that area. Why we are doing that is to allow us carry out risk assessment and analysis on the place. We are appealing to our people not to panic that the state is on top of the challenges,” he said.
NEMA information officer, Ibrahim Farinloye and the Council Chairman, Julius Oloro said that the school and the shopping arcade have been shut.
Oloro said: “Until the experts are through with their investigation no one will be able to gain access into both premises. And that was why we have asked the traders and the pupils to go home because there presence will halt the investigation.”
Ibrahim Farinloye, South West information officer of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA said: “We have commenced the investigation to know the source of the emission. Since the waste was discharged last year and today (yesterday) another chemical waste have been discharged, there is need for proper investigation.”
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