12 kids hospitalized in fertilizer poisoning

DAGUPAN CITY — At least 12 pupils aged eight to 11 were rushed to a hospital here last Tuesday after they ingested fertilizer contained in plastic bags together with a sachet of edible sunflower seeds distributed to at least two schools.

Dr. Leonard Carbonell, city health officer, told The STAR that the victims — pupils of Living Lights Learning Center and Gregorio del Pilar Elementary School in Barangay Bonuan Gueset — suffered abdominal and muscle pain and dizziness. Four of them had to be confined overnight.

Authorities suspect that the children could have ingested urea, a fertilizer, contained in a sachet in a plastic bag that also had separate sachets for edible sunflower seeds as well as seeds for planting. — Eva Visperas