On Friday, 28 November, a cabinet in a Wadowice primary school’s chemistry lab leaked reagents, prompting the safe evacuation of 160 pupils and 24 staff before the school day ended.
Incident Overview
The incident occurred on Friday, 28 November before 1 p.m. Chemical reagents leaked from a cabinet in the chemistry lab of an elementary school in Wadowice (Małopolska).
160 children and 24 staff members were evacuated. No injuries were reported.
All were safely guided through the gymnasium, said spokesperson for Małopolska firefighters Hubert Ciepły, quoted by RMF FM.
Students Detect Odd Smell
Students in one class at Primary School No. 1 in Wadowice noticed an unusual odor as soon as they entered for lesson and alerted a teacher, who called emergency services.
Cabinet Tipped, Acid Spills
When the students entered the chemistry classroom, the cabinet holding chemicals tipped over. Acid spilled from one of the vials, said Deputy Mayor of Wadowice Rafał Marek in an interview with wadowice24.pl.
Fire and Rescue Response
Specialized chemical rescue teams from Krakow and Oświęcim were dispatched to the scene. A total of 22 firefighters participated.
Nineteen students who entered the chemistry class received close monitoring by the medical rescue team.