Five students sitting for their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams at Makande Girls Secondary School in Mombasa were rushed to hospital on Thursday morning after inhaling a mysterious hydrocarbon gas shortly before their first exam paper.
The gas, believed to be the type used in paint production, caused the students to lose their breath, prompting an emergency response.
The other 84 students taking the exam were relocated to the nearby Makupa Boys High School for their safety.
Ibrahim Basafar, the Mombasa County Chief Fire Officer, confirmed that the fire department received a distress call from Urban Police Boss Maxwell Agoro at around 7:15 a.m. reporting a gas leak at Makande Girls.
The gas, whose source is still under investigation, had left the affected students struggling to breathe, but Basafar assured that the students were no longer in danger.
“The five students were immediately taken to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital after nearly fainting due to the exposure,” Basafar said.
“We are relieved to report that their condition is stable.”
The Mombasa County government, led by Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, is expected to address the press shortly regarding the incident, and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba is also expected to visit the school after concluding his duties at the Kenya Primary Schools Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) conference.
A multi-agency team, including emergency responders and environmental experts, was quickly mobilized to assess and contain the situation.
Basafar reported that the gas levels had since decreased and were no longer hazardous.
“As of now, the gas levels have dropped and are no longer poisonous,” he stated.
Authorities are now working to determine the source of the gas leak and identify any individuals responsible.
“We are determined to find out who is behind this incident and take appropriate action,” Basafar added.
“This is unfortunate, especially as the students were sitting their final exams,” he concluded, expressing concern over the impact of the incident on the students’ well-being and the disruption of their exams.
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