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Original article: La infancia otra vez expuesta: gases contaminantes obligan evacuaciones en colegios de Puchuncaví

A new environmental alert exposing children shook the municipality of Puchuncaví in the Valparaíso region on Wednesday, as a release of contaminant gases directly affected various educational institutions, forcing evacuations and the cancellation of classes in at least three facilities.

This emergency reignites long-standing concerns in an area that has endured the impacts of environmental sacrifice linked to the Ventanas industrial complex for decades.

According to information from the municipality, La Chocota Basic School, the Horcón Nursery, and Costa Mauco School decided to suspend their activities as a preventive measure due to the detected levels of contamination. The situation was particularly critical at La Chocota and Horcón, where emergency teams were deployed more extensively.

Mario González Guzmán, the head of the Disaster Risk Management Unit of the Puchuncaví Municipality, confirmed the incident and outlined immediate actions taken.

In statements reported by El Observador, González noted that “emergency teams were deployed in various locations within the municipality to conduct measurements and assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.”

Additionally, firefighters conducted measurements at the affected schools, and based on the results, ordered the evacuation of certain facilities.

In the specific case of La Chocota School and the Horcón Nursery, students were sent home as the primary safety measure, according to reports from the cited source.

Simultaneously, municipal staff went to Campiche School, where students were reported to be suffering from severe headaches. In response to these symptoms, an ambulance arrived, and health teams attended to the affected children.

As the emergency continues, officials from the Seremi of Health and the Superintendence of the Environment are active on the ground, focusing on critical areas like La Chocota and Horcón.

Authorities await a technical report from the Fire Department, which will be crucial in clarifying the exact origin and extent of the incident, as well as determining potential responsibilities.

The municipality indicated that the remaining educational institutions in the area continue to operate normally, as no active alerts have been reported according to the levels indicated by technical agencies.

However, municipal teams remain on the ground, monitoring the evolution of the emergency and supporting affected educational communities, amidst the outrage of parents and guardians who once again witness the exposure of their children to toxic gases in one of the areas with the worst air quality in the country.

La entrada Childhood Again at Risk: Contaminant Gas Emissions Prompt School Evacuations in Puchuncaví se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.