BACOLOD City – Five students of Bacolod City College (BCC) and two Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) security personnel were hospitalized due to gas poisoning.
As reported by POSO head Primitivo Tabujara Jr. yesterday, a total of 18 either had difficulty breathing or lost consciousness.
Of the seven hospitalized, a college student was still confined at the Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital as of this writing, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said. The others were sent home after medical treatment, he added.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon, May 29, at the BCC main campus activity center in Barangay Taculing. The Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health Department conducted a presentation and evaluation program.
As the program culminated at about 3:55 p.m., participants fired a smokescreen pyrotechnic device.
Tabujara said POSO security officers Ruben Lucasan and Ronald De Nicolas, on duty at the main gate of the City Engineers Office, noticed students running out of the activity center carrying an unconscious female student.
According to Tabujara, the guards rushed the unconscious student to the school infirmary and informed the health personnel that several more were inside the activity center. The POSO then contacted the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
During the rescue, POSO security officers De Nicolas and Arnulfo Alcansare lost consciousness.
Maghari said the school is investigating the incident.
As a preventive measure, the school will be conducting inspections to prevent the entry of dangerous substances.
Meanwhile, CDRRMO head Ann Marie Pornan advised not to hold any activity indoors while using smoke as a prop. /PN
