An explosion during a chemistry experiment at the Guadalupe School in Palermo left five students injured, two in critical condition, on Tuesday afternoon. The accident, which occurred in a joint fourth and fifth year class, exposed serious safety failures: there were no fire extinguishers or elements to prevent or quickly assist the students. The episode recalls last week’s incident in Pergamino, where a model volcano injured ten students, and reignites the debate about risks in classrooms.
The incident took place in the school yard, while the boys were handling alcohol and fire. “They were doing an experiment and a boy caught fire from head to toe,” said Federico, a third-year student. One teacher tried to put out the flames with a duster, while another threw himself on the young man. “There was no type of fire extinguisher or extinguisher, nothing to prevent or help quickly,” Federico denounced. A mother of a first-year student described the chaos: “They ran out, screams were heard, kids crying, I saw children with their clothes on fire.” A father added: “His shirt caught fire, then it caught his body and face.” Another mother explained: “The boy touched something, alcohol remained on his hand and he set himself on fire.”
The SAME treated the injured: a student with 35% of his body burned (abdomen, trunk, neck and face), admitted to intensive care at the Gutiérrez Hospital, and another with burns on 15-20% of his body, transferred from the Fernández Hospital to the Quemados Hospital, in intermediate therapy. Three other people, including an adult, suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
The case evokes the drama of Pergamino, where a model of a volcano exploded at a school fair, leaving a girl hospitalized in Garrahan with the risk of losing an eye. At that time, Conicet chemist Sara Aldabe warned about the lack of safety barriers, a problem that is repeated in Palermo with the absence of fire extinguishers and preventive measures.
The Buenos Aires Ministry of Education announced a protocol for experiments, signed by Minister Mercedes Miguel, which will be published soon. However, the lack of controls, safety elements and adequate supervision generates indignation among parents. As students face trauma and their families demand answers, there is an urgent need to ensure that school science is no longer a danger.
