'Gas poisoning' reported during students' activity presentation in Bacolod school
BACOLOD CITY – Sixteen students of the Bacolod City College (BCC) main campus in Barangay Taculing here fell ill after they inhaled a substance from a smoke screen pyrotechnic device during an activity presentation at the school’s activity center on Monday, May 29.
RESCUERS respond to Bacolod City College (BCC) main campus in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, after some students suffered difficulty breathing from a color smoke of a pyrotechnic device at the school’s activity center on Monday, May 29. (Photo courtesy of Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade)
City administrator Atty. Pacifico Maghari III said that of the 16 students, five were rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the rest quickly recovered. The city administrator also said that two personnel of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) who responded to the incident were also examined by doctors after they suffered difficulty breathing. The students and two POSO personnel were later discharged from the hospital, except for one student who is confined in a private hospital here. The student is also in stable condition. Based on the investigation of POSO, the Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) department were conducting presentation and evaluation program when a participant used a smoke screen pyrotechnic device that emitted smoke which reportedly poisoned and affected some students, causing them to lose their consciousness. Maghari said the BCC is conducting an investigation on this matter. “Why was that substance that created the smoke needed?” asked Maghari, adding that teachers should have screened the materials used by the students. Maghari said the school is implementing bag inspection to ensure that no harmful substances will be allowed entry into the school. With the recent incident, Maghari said the local government is urging schools here to strengthen its measures to prevent students or any person from bringing dangerous or harmful substances. “We don’t want this to happen again,” said Maghari. Maghari said there should be precautionary measures and closer review and monitoring of the activities in the school. “This is a wakeup call for students, schools’ administration, and teachers to be more vigilant,” he added.
RESCUERS respond to Bacolod City College (BCC) main campus in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, after some students suffered difficulty breathing from a color smoke of a pyrotechnic device at the school’s activity center on Monday, May 29. (Photo courtesy of Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade)
City administrator Atty. Pacifico Maghari III said that of the 16 students, five were rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the rest quickly recovered. The city administrator also said that two personnel of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) who responded to the incident were also examined by doctors after they suffered difficulty breathing. The students and two POSO personnel were later discharged from the hospital, except for one student who is confined in a private hospital here. The student is also in stable condition. Based on the investigation of POSO, the Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) department were conducting presentation and evaluation program when a participant used a smoke screen pyrotechnic device that emitted smoke which reportedly poisoned and affected some students, causing them to lose their consciousness. Maghari said the BCC is conducting an investigation on this matter. “Why was that substance that created the smoke needed?” asked Maghari, adding that teachers should have screened the materials used by the students. Maghari said the school is implementing bag inspection to ensure that no harmful substances will be allowed entry into the school. With the recent incident, Maghari said the local government is urging schools here to strengthen its measures to prevent students or any person from bringing dangerous or harmful substances. “We don’t want this to happen again,” said Maghari. Maghari said there should be precautionary measures and closer review and monitoring of the activities in the school. “This is a wakeup call for students, schools’ administration, and teachers to be more vigilant,” he added.