Form Four girl dies after drinking ethanol in Samburu

By KNA

A form four girl died while another is admitted at the Samburu county referral hospital after a group of students broke into their school’s laboratory and drank ethanol.

A second student is admitted in critical condition with doctors saying she risks losing her eyesight with a probability of a kidney and liver dysfunction if reagents required to stabilize her condition are not provided immediately.

Eight students of Longewan Secondary School broke into the laboratory on Sunday and stole the substance. The students drunk the ethanol after mistaking it for a harmless alcoholic drink.

Rajab Saddam, a Doctor at Samburu County Referral Hospital in Maralal town, said the 17-year-old student was admitted while in critical condition and later succumbed.

He said six out of the eight students were treated and discharged. While confirming the incident Samburu Central Sub County OCPD, Abaggarro Guyo said one of the students stole the harmful liquid from the school’s laboratory and shared it with others at about 3pm Sunday.

Guyo said some of the victims drunk the pure liquid as others drunk it while mixed with soda.

Police have taken the body to Samburu county referral hospital mortuary.