School evacuated after chemical gas scare

A student and a staff member ended up in the hospital after the proliferation of a harmful, odorous gas in Sir Baniyas School here on Monday morning. The school was immediately evacuated and the classes were suspended for the day. “Surveillance camera footage showed that the offensive odour spread because one of the students messed up with a chemical substance,” said Mohammad Salem Al Dhaheri, executive director for school operations at the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec). “This has resulted in Grade 12 student Belal Yahya and Mohammad Sami Ameen, lab technician and school health and safety officer who was helping evacuate the building, suffering suffocation,” he said. With the help of Civil Defence, the school’s health and safety team managed to evacuate the affected building in five minutes. The two injured individuals were taken to Al Mafraq Hospital with symptoms of respiratory irritation, mild dizziness and running tears. They have been kept under medical observation for 24 hours, even though their conditions improved shortly after treatment. “The Adec is collaborating with the competent authorities to complete the investigation and take necessary action. We urge our students to refrain from any act that would endanger the safety and security of the community,” added Al Dhaheri.