Several parents of pupils at an out-of-school care centre (Maison Relais) in Steinfort were contacted on Friday afternoon regarding what was described as a “small-scale” incident that, while not deemed serious, still caused concern. Despite reassurances from authorities, the message did little to calm the worried parents.
Ambulances, emergency medical services, and the police were quickly mobilised to the scene. The intervention was triggered after a student poured disinfectant, which had been provided for handwashing during the coronavirus pandemic, into a jug of drinking water.
A dozen children and one teacher were transported to the paediatric hospital (Kannerklinik) after ingesting water mixed with the disinfectant, propanol. While the amount consumed was not high, all the children underwent blood tests and were kept under observation for the day. Some pupils remained in the hospital overnight for further monitoring.
At the time of writing, no official statements have been released to the press, likely due to the involvement of an underage pupil.
In a statement to RTL on Sunday, Mayor Sammy Wagner confirmed the incident, emphasising that all appropriate procedures were followed. He expressed relief that the situation did not result in more serious consequences. He also noted that an investigation would be conducted to understand how the incident occurred and what measures could be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
Read also: At no point were the children’s lives in danger says Steinfort municipality
