NEW DELHI: A toxic gas that apparently leaked from a nearby railway track led to the hospitalisation of at least 28 children belonging to an MCD-run school in the Naraina area in west Delhi on Friday, the civic body said.
The children complained of acute symptoms of gastritis and were admitted to the RML Hospital in the evening. So far, 19 have been admitted to RML and nine were admitted to Acharya Bhikshuk Hospital, civic body officials said.
Officials said of the 28 children, two had to be kept on oxygen. “They are stable and are under observation,” said a corporation official. As per recorded testimonies, the incident occurred soon after the children had their midday meal, officials said.
“The children said they started feeling uneasy after encountering a foul smell. Suddenly, their health started deteriorating. A PCR was informed,” said a senior official. While the police are yet to ascertain the source of the foul smell, the MCD stated that a gas leak occurred at nearby railway tracks led to a health emergency in the school.
“The school premises are being checked to ascertain the source of the smell. There is a railway track nearby. It is yet to be ascertained where the smell emanated from,” said DCP (West) Vichitra Veer.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi visited the hospitals and met the children, saying a probe will assess how the gas leaked.