Pampore, July 28 : A routine science practical at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Khrew, located in South Kashmir’s Pampore area, turned into a panic-stricken episode on Monday after a laboratory mishap exposed dozens of students to harmful fumes.
The incident occurred when the lab assistant accidentally dropped a beaker containing acetic acid during a practical session. The strong acidic fumes that followed led to eight girl students falling unconscious on the spot. In the ensuing chaos, 23 more students who entered the lab shortly afterward began to experience dizziness, nausea, and dry coughing, raising the number of affected students to 31.
All the students were immediately rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Pampore. Medical authorities there referred 16 of them to the SMHS Hospital in Srinagar for advanced observation and treatment. Doctors attending to the students said the symptoms were consistent with inhalation of acetic acid vapours.
A teacher from the school confirmed the incident, stating, “It happened during a regular science lab experiment. The lab assistant unintentionally spilled the acid, which caused the fumes. Thankfully, all students are now safe and stable.” [KNT]