Delhi: 24 students of MCD school hospitalised after gas leak, condition stable

Students started feeling unwell after inhaling a foul smell. Many of them vomited and were rushed to hospitals.

New Delhi: Nearly 24 students of a school run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) fainted after inhaling gas in southwest Delhi's Naraina area. The students were taken to two hospitals for treatment. The Delhi Police officials are investigating into the matter.

According to school sources, the incident occurred at around 11.20 am. There was a gas leakage near the railway tracks adjoining the school. After inhaling the gas, some of the students complained of discomfort and around 24 of them fell unconscious.

An official of the Delhi Police said they received a PCR call this afternoon informing them that many students of the MCD school were vomiting. After police reached the spot they found that the students were feeling unwell. "It has been learnt that the children started feeling sick after inhaling a foul odour. As they had had lunch some time ago, they felt uneasy due to the odour and many of them started vomiting. The classrooms were evacuated as a precautionary measure," police said.

Fifteen students were rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and remaining nine were admitted at Acharya Bhikshuk Hospital, school officials said. Doctors are monitoring the health condition of the students at the two hospitals. Also, a team of officials from the education department reached the school to take stock of the situation there.

After learning about the incident, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva reached the RML Hospital to inquire about the health condition of the students. Sachdeva said that the students were safe now and had to be given oxygen. The children said that after tiffin break they smelled some gas and started feeling ill, he said.

Doctors said that all children are in a stable condition but treatment is on.