Jharkhand: Short circuit in residential school leaves 16 students with breathing difficulties

Sixteen students at a residential school in Jharkhand's Jamtara district experienced breathing difficulties after smoke from an electrical short-circuit flooded their hostel rooms, an official informed today, Saturday, September 20.

The event took place on Friday evening at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, a residential school for tribal girls in Narayanpur block, the official added.

The 16 students who suffered respiratory problems were transferred to a community health clinic and released shortly after receiving primary care, Ravi Anand, Jamtara Deputy Commissioner, told PTI.

"They faced a problem in their hostel room due to the smoke emitted from an electrical short circuit after a transformer near the school caught fire due to lightning on Friday evening. However, the fire was doused by locals. The school warden and locals then rushed the students to the nearest community health centre and were later released," the deputy commissioner said.

The students became scared as a result of the smoke and fire, and their screaming drew the attention of locals and school officials, who used a ladder to evacuate them from the rooftop, another official said.

The deputy commissioner also ordered an investigation into the incident.

"A team under additional collector Jamtara (Punam Kachyap) will probe into the fire and suggest steps to prevent such incidents in future. We will also conduct an audit of electrical wiring in all residential government schools in the district," the deputy commissioner said.

According to Jamtara district education officer Charles Hembrom, the hostel housed 450 girl students.

"Out of them, 16 panicked and started coughing heavily due to the smoke and were taken to the hospital and later discharged in the night," he added.