City identifies company allegedly behind toxic fume scare at Durban school

The eThekwini municipality is probing a container cleaning company allegedly linked to the release of toxic fumes which affected learners and staff atUmbilo Secondary schoolin Wentworth on Thursday. There was chaos at the school shortly after 10am when learners complained about breathing difficulties. The school was evacuated, and paramedics who responded, treated about 20 learners before admitting them to hospital.

On Friday the municipality said preliminary on-scene investigations conducted by fire and environmental health officials — who also responded to the incident — traced the odour by monitoring wind direction and conducting perimeter checks around the school. “Officials identified a company located in the vicinity where a container-cleaning operation involving ethyl acrylate was under way. Fumes from the operation are alleged to have drifted towards the school under windy conditions,” it said.

The chemical is used in paint and cleaning products, and is known to cause severe irritation when inhaled or absorbed through the skin. We are conducting a full probe into the company’s practices and if non-compliance is confirmed we will act decisively with stricter legal measures The city is currently verifying the company’s compliance documentation and operating procedures and has initiated processes that may lead to legal action should any non-compliance be confirmed. The municipality’s regional fire commander, Sibusiso Mkhulisi, said once the alleged source was identified, the team immediately launched an intensive compliance investigation.

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“We are conducting a full probe into the company’s practices and if non-compliance is confirmed we will act decisively with stricter legal measures,” he said. Response teams remained on site until conditions stabilised and continued to work with the school to monitor the situation, Mkhulisi added. “Classes have resumed today following safety checks that confirmed the odour had dissipated.”

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