Published: Wednesday, 26th March, 2008 12:00
Gas escape investigation at Alloa school
By Hamish Hutchinson
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Fire crews were called to Alloa Academy following reports of two technicians being affected by fumes.
Pic by: David Robertson
TWO Alloa Academy lab technicians were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties last Wednesday after inhaling chemical fumes at the school.
Emergency services were called to the building around 1.50pm when a build up of chloroform gas was released from a flammable storage unit within the secondary school’s science department.
Two technicians suffered “slight respiratory difficulties” after inhaling the fumes when they opened the locked unit found in the chemical storeroom, located in the department corridor.
An ambulance was called and they were taken to Stirling Royal Infirmary as a precautionary measure and released later that day.
The school department was cleared as officers from Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service, assisted by the Council’s Health and Safety Officer and the school’s principal science teacher, carried out a full inspection of the store.
It is suspected that the cause of the incident came from a small quantity of chloroform from a 50ml bottle that had vaporised in the unit.
Letters were sent home to pupils’ parents to inform them of the one-off incident.
No pupils or staff were in any danger and the locked storeroom where the chemicals are kept has a complete ventilation system.
Head of Schools Jim Goodall said, “This was a minor incident which posed no danger to pupils or school staff. The combined efforts of the emergency services and the school staff ensured the appropriate course of action was taken to bring the incident to a safe and prompt closure.”
The science technicians are back at work and Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service is preparing a report on the incident, which will be reported to the Health and Safety Executive by the Council.
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