Students Hospitalized, Two Die Following School Laboratory Ethanol Consumption
Several students from Karigini Mixed Secondary School, Tharaka Nithi, have been hospitalized after drinking ethanol from the school’s laboratory.
The police are investigating the incident that led to the admission of eleven students.
Concerned parents flocked to the school in search of their children and information about the disaster.
oseph Ole Manei, the Area Police Commander, publicly verified to the media that they had rushed other students who consumed the substance to a nearby hospital.
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Reports indicate that the incident at the mixed secondary school involved thirteen students.
Consequently, they took eight male and three female students to the hospital for treatment. Two students perished, however.
Kenyans expressed concern on social media, warning about the hazards associated with absolute ethanol in school laboratories.
Ian Gitonga commented that ethanol, particularly the type sold in school laboratories, is quite hazardous.
Laboratories often maintain these ethanols at a high concentration, typically 100%, because technicians intend to dilute them for various purposes.
Comparatively, the ethanol found in alcoholic beverages like beer typically ranges between 11 and 41 percent.
Ian raised concerns about the prudence of consuming ethanol with a breakeven point directly proportional to 1, pointing out that the liver struggles to process such high concentrations.
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Other Kenyans expressed their concern for the parents of these children, who diligently labor to pay school fees, assuming that their students are in school, only to discover that they are committing such heinous acts.
“The parents of these students believe that their children work diligently in school. Only God can have mercy on us, said a Facebook user identified as Nyambura.
Laboratory ethanol contains hazardous impurities such as benzene or methanol, whereas alcohol contains ethanol.
Currently, schools are getting ready for national exams, slated to commence at the end of October, with Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) students set to sit for exams from October 23 to November 24, 2023.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) will commence on October 30 and end on November 1.
Ethanol has numerous applications, including as a laboratory and industrial solvent.
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Students Hospitalized, Two Die Following School Laboratory Ethanol Consumption
