eThekwini Municipality is investigating a chemical odour incident at Umbilo Secondary School, which led to six pupils being hospitalised on Thursday morning.
The school was evacuated after learners and teachers reported breathing difficulties, believed to be caused by a suspected gas leak. City officials traced the odour to a nearby container-cleaning company where a chemical cleaning operation involving ethyl acrylate was underway. Authorities say shifting winds may have carried the fumes toward the school.
Classes have since resumed after safety checks confirmed the air was clear.
Sibusiso Mkhulisi said the municipality is reviewing the company’s compliance with safety and environmental regulations, and the probe could result in legal action if violations are found.
“We are conducting a full probe into the company’s practices, and if non-compliance is confirmed, we will act decisively with stricter legal measures,” Mkhulisi said.
Emergency response teams remained on site until conditions stabilised, and the city is continuing site inspections and environmental sampling in the surrounding industrial area. Authorities have confirmed that enforcement measures, penalties, or directives will be fast-tracked depending on the investigation’s outcome.
Neighbours were also affected by the fumes. Zalita Kruger, who lives across from the school, described panic in the area. She said her four-and-a-half-month-old baby, who has pneumonia, was exposed to the fumes, while her child attending the school was unharmed.
“My throat is burning, my eyes are burning up, and I have a four-and-a-half-month-old baby who's got pneumonia,” Kruger said.
Investigations into the incident and the company’s safety practices are ongoing.