Chemical odour: eThekwini probes company after Umbilo Secondary pupils fall ill

The eThekwini Municipality has confirmed that the source of a chemical odour that caused school pupils to fall ill has been tracked and the company is under investigation. The eThekwini Municipality has launched an urgent investigation after a chemical odour believed to have originated from a nearby industrial operation forced the evacuation of theUmbilo Secondary School in Wentworthon Thursday. The municipality said in a statement on Friday that municipal officials said fire and health teams responded to the scene within minutes on Thursday after toxic fumes affected learners and teachers at the school.

It said emergency responders, including private ambulance services, stabilised the situation and assisted with the evacuation of the school. Affected learners and teachers were transported to Wentworth Hospital for medical treatment. No fatalities were reported.

According to the municipality, preliminary investigations conducted on site by Fire Services and Environmental Health officials traced the source of the odour by monitoring wind direction and conducting perimeter checks around the school. Officials identified a nearby company where a container-cleaning operation involving the use ethyl acrylate was underway at the time of the incident. The fumes allegedly drifted towards the school due to windy conditions.

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The municipality said it has since intensified compliance checks and is verifying the company’s documentation and operational procedures. Municipal Fire Regional Commander Sibusiso Mkhulisi stated that authorities have launched a full investigation. “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,” Mkhulisi said.

He added that response teams remained at the scene until conditions stabilised and continued to monitor the situation in collaboration with the school. Classes resumed on Friday after safety checks confirmed that the odour had dissipated, the municipality said.

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