Chemical spill cleanup in Makati suspended

Authorities on Monday evening suspended efforts to recover chemicals that spilled inside a laboratory of the San Isidro National High School in Makati City. Makati City police director Superintendent Gilbert Cruz said the cleanup team scattered sawdust and sand inside the laboratory to "absorb" the chemicals. "We will resume our recovery operations at 8 a.m. Tuesday. For the moment, the school will have to be cordoned off," he said in an interview of radio DZBB. He said his team did not want to risk turning on the lights inside the school because it might "heat up the chemicals and cause an explosion." Cruz said a truck will transport the chemicals, which will be put inside sealed drums, on Tuesday. School officials, meanwhile, said they might consider extending the suspension of classes following the chemical spill. Luzviminda Bannag, principal of the San Isidro National High School, said she will wait for clearance from the Philippine Society of Clinical Occupational Detoxification. Bannag said the school has 1,224 students, going to class in two shifts of 600 each. Authorities on Monday formed an inter-agency body to investigate the chemical leak that led to nine people being rushed to hospital. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said teams from health and environment departments, the Occupational Safety and Health Center, the poison control center of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and the Bureau of Fire Protection are working with the Makati City government to investigate the incident. The incident happened at about 4 p.m. Sunday when chemicals placed inside pint-sized jars crashed on the floor of the school's science laboratory, emitting vapors believed to be mercury oxide, lead bromide and sulfuric chloride. Residents living 50 meters from the school were evacuated. Dr. Joselito Pascual of the UP-PGH’s poison control center, said authorities are still determining what chemicals were stacked on a cabinet at the school’s laboratory. "What we have are still sketchy reports since there are many versions (of what happened). What we are concerned about are the patients," said Pascual. School authorities suspended classes on Monday. - GMANews.TV