Five students taking their KCSE exams at Makande Girls secondary school in Mombasa were rushed to hospital after they ran out of breath in the morning before their first paper on Thursday.
This is after they inhaled some hydrocarbon gas whose origin was not immediately established. Hydrocarbon is the gas used to make paint.
The other 84 candidates were forced to move to neighbouring Makupa Boy High School.
Ibrahim Basafar, the Mombasa county chief fire officer, said they received a distress call from the Urban police boss Maxwell Agoro about an obnoxious gas leak at Makande Girls secondary school at around 7.15 am.
The girls are however said to be out of danger at the moment.
Mombasa Governor Nassir Abdulswamad is expected to address the press anytime from now.
Education CS Julius Ogamba is also expected to rush to Makande Girls after officially closing the Kepsha conference.
Earlier, a multiagency team was assembled to address the situation at the girls' school.
"As we speak now, the gas levels have gone low and no longer poisonous," Basafar said.
The five students were ferried to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital after almost fainting.
"We would also like to know who is the culprit so as to take action," he said.
"It is just unfortunate that it happened as the students were sitting their final exams," Basafar said.
