Tàrrega is at the centre of this latest chemical incident in Catalonia, after seven people were injured at a Shared Schooling Unit (UEC) in the town yesterday.
Six underage students and one teacher were affected after inhaling toxic vapours from an accidental chemical reaction. Two people were taken to Arnau de Vilanova Hospital in Lleida, while five others were treated for mild symptoms at the local health centre in Tàrrega, according to emergency services. The incident happened at around 12.08pm.
Students were doing a painting activity when some material spilled. They were told to clean it up. A chemical reaction happened when bleach was added to a bucket containing remnants of another liquid product, creating a small toxic cloud. Education councillor Emili Gilabert said it was “an incident derived from an accidental mixture.”
Five units from the Generalitat Fire Brigade, several ambulances from the Medical Emergency System (SEM), and Local Police patrols attended the scene. As a precaution, the whole building was evacuated, including the toilet area where the mixture occurred and the first floor where the vapours concentrated.
Firefighters ventilated the premises and finished by 1pm. People who were not injured were then allowed back into the building to continue classes. The last affected person was transferred to Arnau de Vilanova Hospital around 2pm.
This follows another accidental chemical reaction in Tàrrega a month earlier. On 24 April, nine people were injured at the municipal indoor swimming pool, and about 60 people were evacuated, including swimmers and gym users. During water treatment, chlorine was mixed into a hydrochloric acid tank, and the town council kept the pool and sports park closed for the whole weekend as a precaution.
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