201 residents land in hospitals after inhaling chemicals in Nigeria's city of Kano

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - The Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 201 residents of Sharada Quarters in Kano were hospitalized after inhaling chemicals from a cylinder dismantled by metal scrappers.

The NEMA Kano Territorial Coordinator, Nuradeen Abdullahi, told reporters that victims were rushed to three different hospitals.

He said the hospitals include Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Sharada Industrial Hospital and Ja’en Hospital, for urgent medical attention.

Abdullahi said the chemicals escaped into the air and made those who inhaled the fumes to become unconscious.

The Chief Medical Director of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Hussaini Muhammad, said his facility received more than 70 victims and 65 were in stable condition.

“Thirty-five victims received treatment at Sharada Industrial Hospital and 96 at Ja’en Hospital,” he added.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Faruk, visited victims at the hospital.

She commended the hospitals’ management, NEMA and the Nigerian Red Cross for their support to the victims.