South students fall ill during lab experiment

Around midday, the pupils were engaged in an experiment in the school’s chemistry laboratory. They were at the time using a chemical — aqueous ammonia. According to a police report, the pupils were being supervised by their teachers during the laboratory exercise. However, around 2 pm, some of the pupils began to vomit. Others complained of nausea and headaches as well as pain in the eyes.

Nine of the pupils were taken by their teachers to the nearby Pleasantville Health Centre. Five of them were eventually rushed by Emergency Health Services ambulances to the San Fernando General Hospital. They were treated and discharged.

School officials declined to confirm or deny the incident.