Investigations are underway to determine the cause of a gas leak that left 170 students exposed at a university residence in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Sunday.
Parktown university residence gas leak: Here’s the latest news
City of Johannesburg emergency medical services, as well as ER24, were called to the tertiary residence shortly before 18:00 after a number of students complained about shortness of breath.
“On arrival, emergency workers found that numerous students aged 18 and upwards had already evacuated the buildings and were now crowding the sidewalk and street. Medics set up a triage area and began to tend to the patients, assessing approximately 170 people,” ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring noted in a statement.
Out of the 170 students that were assessed, paramedics determined 60 patients required further medical attention, and thus, this group was transported to nearby hospitals in the area.
“The remaining patients declined further treatment or transportation to a hospital,” Meiring added.
At this time, a probe is underway to determine the cause of the gas leak. It remains unclear, at this juncture, if the students were offered temporary shelter.
This is a developing story.