Sixty students from Kapsabet Girls High School in Nandi County were on Saturday evening admitted to Kapsabet County Referral Hospital after teargas reportedly drifted into their dormitories during a night security operation.
According to Mwalimu Braxtone, a teacher at a neighbouring school, Kapsabet Boys, the incident occurred on the night of May 16 as police pursued a suspect linked to a fatal assault in the area.
The operation is said to have sparked tension among residents, who attempted to lynch the suspect and set a nearby pub on fire.
Police were forced to intervene and disperse the crowd using teargas. In the process, the chemical is reported to have spread into the nearby Kapsabet Girls compound, entering dormitories where students were asleep.
“The teargas found its way into the school, causing panic and breathing difficulties among the learners,” Mwalimu Braxtone said.
The affected students were quickly evacuated from the dormitories and rushed to Kapsabet County Referral Hospital for treatment. Hospital sources indicate that the majority of the learners responded well to treatment.
Out of the 60 students admitted, 55 are expected to be discharged after receiving medical attention, while five remain under observation due to asthma-related complications.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the situation in the surrounding area had escalated earlier, with angry residents looting the targeted pub amid the chaos before police restored order.
All affected students are reported to be in stable condition, with no serious injuries recorded.