New Delhi: As many as 310 students and nine teachers of Rani Jhansi Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Delhi’s Tughlakabad, have been hospitalized and over 100 students evacuated following a gas leak from a truck parked in a container depot in Delhi’s Tughlakabad on Saturday morning.
Police and CATS ambulances were rushed to the spot following the incident.
Some students complained of irritation in eyes and throat due to gas leak.
According to the police, a call was received at around 7:35 AM about some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot, which is located near Rani Jhansi School for girls run by the city government.
Following the incident, teams of police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as well as CATS ambulance reached the spot.
“Some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot has caused eye irritation to the girl students in Rani Jhansi school,” DCP (Southeast) Romil Baaniya said.
The students have been admitted to three hospitals.
“A total of 310 students and nine teachers are admitted to different hospitals. No student is critical,” Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South-East, said.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Rajesh Pawar said, “A chemical leakage at the customs area of Tughlaqabad depot caused irritation in eyes of the female students studying in the Rani Jhansi school, Tughlaqabad. The local police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire, and Centralised Ambulance and Trauma Services (CATS) teams have reached the spot. The students are shifted to nearby hospitals. They are reported normal.”
The principal of the school, Manisha, stated the children had complained of suffocation and irritation in the eyes while they were praying at the morning assembly.
“At around 7 a.m. in the morning, during prayer time, the children complained of suffocation and irritation in the eyes. Without any delay, we got the children out from their classes and called the police to investigate. We later sent the children home and those who complained of breathing problem were admitted to three nearby hospitals. The teachers are currently with the students in the hospital,” said principal.
The school authorities confirmed that the students were being taken care of and were out of danger.
The father of one of the students, who was later called and informed about the incident said, “I was so worried when I got the call and rushed to the spot right away. I have no idea in which hospital my daughter has been admitted to. I hope she is fine.”
The mother of another student said, “My younger son picked up the call which the police had made saying that my daughter complained of suffocation and was admitted in hospital. I left everything at home and ran here just to check on my daughter. I still have to meet her.”
earlier the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that “the students are fine”.
“85 girl students, who had complained of irritation in their eyes due to gas leakage, have been admitted to three hospitals. I spoke to doctors who told me that they are normal,” Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said.
He said that he has ordered the area district magistrate and SDM to launch a probe into the gas leakage incident at the container depot.
Further investigation into the incident is underway.
The police said that the source of leakage is yet to be ascertained.
(With inputs from ANI)