Chemical mining company Foskor has denied responsibility for a leak which left more than 50 Richards Bay school pupils needing treatment for gas inhalation on Monday.
On Tuesday Foskor corporate affairs manager Hulisani Nemaxwi said the company received a complaint from the uMhlathuze municipality regarding a possible gas leak from their acid plant near Richards Bay High School.
“A detailed investigation was conducted by our team which revealed there was no such gas leak at Foskor facilities,” he said.
Nemaxwi said plant monitoring was done daily as part of their preventive maintenance programme to avoid gas leaks.
“Foskor operates three sulphuric acid plants called A, B and C. Plants A and B had been taken down for routine planned maintenance, and operating data for plant C indicated Foskor was operating within the minimum emission standards.”
Joseph Kruger, owner of Mounties Emergency Medical Services, said 53 pupils were seen by medical staff at hospitals in the area, but only five were admitted.
He said most patients were treated for acute shortness of breath.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.