No fewer than 120 people have been hospitalised after suspected toxic chemicals from expired industrial gas cylinder contaminated the air and spread to neighborhood in Mundadu, a surburb of Kano.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred on Friday evening where one Saifullahi gathered scrapped metals and crushed them for recycling.
“It’s a contaminated air that emanated from scrapped metals collection point that the problem began Friday evening,” an eyewitness said.
The incident was also confirmed by the ward head of the area, Mal Magaji Abdullahi, saying: “I was informed this evening that there was problem where Saifullahi Muhammad does his scrapped metal collection business.
“Many people were hospitalised. At least 30 people were taken to the hospital. Some were taken to Ja’en Primary Health Care while others were taken to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.”
Confirming the incident, Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, PFS Saminu Abdullahi, said scores of people were conveyed to hospitals for medical attention.
Abdullahi said there was no life lost in the incident.
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The Star gathered that most of the victims are women and children who have been taken to Ja’en Primary Health Care facility for emergency response.
Some residents of the area told The Star that the affected people usually showed signed of sore throat followed by cough and throw up.
The Kano State Police command said it deployed officers to seal off the area and prevent other people from getting close to scene, saying investigation was going on.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, however, said only 40 people were hospitalised so far.
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