Wits University students were hospitalised after they became sick at the student’s accommodation in Johannesburg. About 60 learners were taken to hospital after they began complaining about having shortness of breath presumably caused by a gas leak.
The incident which took place in Parktown saw the paramedics being called in around 6pm on Sunday. ER24 Spokesperson Russel Meiring said, the students who fell I’ll complained about having shortness of breath. When the paramedics arrived Wits, the students had already evacuated the building and were awaiting treatment. Some of the students refused to go to hospital and recovered by themselves.
Shirona Patel, the Wits spokesperson said the incident happened at the dinning hall which has been closed ever since. The full details are still not clearly known but the local authorities are investigating the matter. Meiring suspects that there could have been a gas leak, but Shirona Patel said it is still unclear what could have been the cause.
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“The university can confirm that a group of students from one residence cluster presented with similar symptoms last night. It seems like they were all eating in one dining hall. All the students have been treated and are back on campus and recovering well. We take this matter seriously and we are earnestly investigating the source of the problem- we should know more about the cause later on Monday.”
Robert Mulaudzi, the City of Johannesburg EMS Spokesperson had no knowledge about the incident at the time it occurred.
Source: Daily Sun, News24, image from Daily Sun
