Durban High School Evacuated After Gas Leak Affects More Than 20 Students

• A gas leak at a high school in Wentworth, Durban, reportedly affected over 20 learners, prompting immediate medical response
• One learner suffered a seizure, and the school was evacuated and closed for the day
• Authorities are currently assessing the situation while emergency services work to determine the gas leak source

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN - At least 20 learners received treatment for breathing difficulties after a gas leak at a school in Wentworth, south of Durban's central business district, on Thursday morning, 12 March 2026.

20 leaners affected by leak

ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrity Jamieson told IOL that emergency crews responded immediately, with the eThekwini Municipality Fire Department also attending the scene. He noted that one learner experienced a seizure. Jamieson said paramedics noticed a faint smell in the air when they arrived at the scene, although it cleared shortly afterwards. He said the situation was chaotic, with several children panicked, distressed and struggling to breathe.

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Jamieson noted that some learners were hyperventilating. He said paramedics then established a triage area to manage the large number of learners seeking help, as children were attempting to run directly to ambulances for treatment. Emergency teams moved the learners into a hall with an air-conditioning system, where about 20 pupils and one teacher, complaining of chest pain, were assessed.

Patients required hospital treatment

Jamieson said several patients required hospital treatment after being exposed to an unknown substance, but the exact cause had not yet been confirmed. He added that paramedics, together with another ambulance service, transported about six to eight patients to various public hospitals, while some others were taken to private medical facilities.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the eThekwini Fire Department would determine whether the incident involved a gas leak or another type of chemical exposure. He added that emergency services had also been called to a private residence in Wentworth, where a person was experiencing breathing difficulties. Jamieson said the case could be linked to the earlier incident, but this had not yet been confirmed.

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The school was evacuated as a precaution and will remain closed for the rest of the day, Jamieson added. Authorities are investigating the source of the gas leak, and the situation remains under assessment.

Briefly News has reached out to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education for comment and is awaiting a response.

North West primary school shuts down after ceiling collapse during class

Briefly News also reported that Logaga Primary School has temporarily closed after part of a classroom ceiling collapsed during a lesson.

The incident occurred following recent heavy storms, which residents say worsened the condition of the ageing building. No injuries were reported, but eyewitnesses described the collapse as alarming, with debris falling near learners. The school, constructed in the 1970s, has long faced structural problems

Source: Briefly News