Breathing difficulty for students after inhaling iodine gas in lab

GEORGE TOWN: While conducting their usual science experiment in the laboratory, a group of Form Four students at a Bayan Lepas school suddenly experienced breathing difficulty after inhaling iodine gas.

Penang Education deputy director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad said 19 students, together with their teacher, were carrying out an experiment to test the chemical reaction of iodine when 13 of the students – 11 females and two males – had difficulty breathing.

The 13, he added, started coughing during the experiment at their school laboratory.

“Twelve of them inhaled vaporised iodine while a female student was sent to Penang Hospital for further treatment,” he said.

The 19 students had been divided into five groups during the experiment.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Moktar said it received a distress call about the incident at 9.57am yesterday.

“All the students were in stable condition, with only one sent to Penang Hospital,” Abdul Rashid said.

Meanwhile, state Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said iodine was heated during the experiment.

“As there was insufficient ventilation in the laboratory, the students experienced breathing difficulty and started coughing,” he explained.

Twelve of them inhaled vaporised iodine while a female student was sent to Penang Hospital for further treatment.

Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad

Ensuring their safety: Medical officers checking on the students who had breathing difficulties at the school in Bayan Lepas, Penang.