About 30 students and a teacher of Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Epe Garage in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, were hospitalised yesterday after a suspected chemical odour triggered panic and disrupted school activities following the morning assembly.
The Vice Principal, Mrs Adeola Borogun, clarified that the incident was not a gas explosion. She explained that a strange chemical smell on the school premises caused students to vomit and faint, prompting the school to call for ambulances from the General Hospital, Ijebu Ode.
Confirming the situation, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Banjo Adeoye, said 30 students and a teacher were treated, with most in stable condition. He added that the exact chemical responsible had yet to be identified.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Dr (Mrs) Kafayat Lawal, said officials responded promptly after receiving a distress call. She noted that the situation was under control before their arrival and that environmental officers had been deployed to assess air quality and identify the source of the odour.
Ijebu Ode Local Council Chairman, Dare Alebiosu, who visited the hospital, confirmed all affected were stable and no lives were lost. He reassured parents that the situation was calm, a full investigation would determine the cause, and advised them to monitor their children for any unusual symptoms.
