Douala: Gas cylinder explosion injures 18 students.

The incident occurred in the afternoon hours of Wednesday February 7. 

Reports hold that the gas cylinder exploded during a practical session in the kitchen section of the school.

Of the 18 victims, six are said to be male, while 12 others are females. The victims are aged between 16 and 30. Five are said to have suffered severe burns.

The personnel of the Douala General Hospital in Bedi are said to have been directed by authorities to carefully attend to the victims.

The management of the hospital had since the arrival of the victims at the health facility, reassured that appropriate measures have been taken to ensure the wounded students recover as soon as possible.

The Governor of the Littoral Region, Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, who visited the victims, told reporters that: “Immediate care was taken as soon as the students arrived the emergency unit of the hospital. In order of severity, we counted nine mild cases who can be discharged after treatment and four moderate cases that will need to be hospitalised”.

Five others, he said, suffered severe burns between 25 and over 60 degrees, affecting their entire bodies.

The Governor also talked of another case of one of the victims who inhaled smoke that is a bit worrying for health officials to handle.

The Governor also later visited the school where the incident happened.  He sounded confident that the students would properly be taken care of in hospital.

It should be noted that the students were said to be preparing foodstuffs as part of activities to mark the Youth Week. This was in the build up to the 58th National Youth Day to be celebrated on Sunday February 11.