Gas leak: 40 students, teachers faint, 30 treated on the scene

Rescue officials say gas from a pipeline leaked, allege negligence by SNGPL workers.

BAHAWALPUR:

At least 40 students and teachers of the Government Girls High School in Kot Samba, Rahim Yar Khan, were taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital on Thursday after they fainted apparently from a leak from gas pipes along the school wall.

Doctors treating them said that they were now out of danger, although, some of them were unconscious for several hours.

Rescue 1122 official Zahoor Ahmad said that they had received a call from the school, located a few kilometers from residential area, at 9:15am saying that some 40 teachers and students had fainted and 30 others were complaining of dizziness from inhaling gas.

He said those who had fainted were taken to the hospital. The rest were given first aid on the spot.He said a newly installed gas pipeline that ran along the school wall had leaked. While surveying the area around the pipeline, he said, his team found a container of oil used to check leaks. He said the container had been dumped in the street in front of the school and was not covered. It was seized by the team, he said.



District Emergency Officer Dr Abdul Sattar Babar said that some Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) officials had checked the pipeline for leaks a few hours ago and had apparently forgotten to close the gas supply. He said they had also discarded the oil container, which was highly hazardous for humans.

SNGPL Regional Manager Sheikh Ikram said there was no gas leak. Talking to The Express Tribune, he said the SNGPL had yet to connect the pipeline near the school to its system. He said there was not question of a leak.

He also denied that an oil container was dumped by the officials. He said they knew it was hazardous and could not throw it in a populated area.

Following the incident, District Coordination Officer Nabeel Javed directed the SNGPL to investigate the incident. He sought a report in 48 hours. Dr Muhammad Ilyas at Shaikh Zayed Hospital told The Express Tribune that the affected students and teachers had been vomiting and complaining difficulty in breathing. He said though they were all out of danger, had it not been reported promptly, some deaths could have resulted.

He said the patients had apparently inhaled gas.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2013.