An incident at l’Entorn school in Porqueres (Girona) has reignited concerns about child safety in Spain’s educational institutions. On Wednesday morning, while students were conducting a chemistry experiment, an accident occurred that injured three nine-year-old pupils. The event has sparked anxiety among parents and teachers and has brought the issue of safety standards in primary school laboratories back into discussion.
According to El Pais, the emergency services received the alert at 10:49. Medical staff, psychologists, and rescue teams arrived at the scene. One of the injured children suffered serious burns and was airlifted in critical condition to Hospital de la Vall d’Hebron (Barcelona). The second child, also in critical condition, was transported there by ambulance. The third student, who sustained less severe injuries, was taken to Hospital Trueta (Girona).
The response involved two medical helicopters, five ambulances, and a team of psychologists from Sistema de Emergencias Médicas (SEM). The rapid intervention ensured swift aid to the victims and helped minimize the impact of the accident. Local authorities expressed their gratitude to the school staff and emergency teams for their coordinated efforts and stressed the importance of strictly following all safety precautions during such activities.
Response and aftermath
The incident in Porqueres became a topic of discussion at the Catalonian government level. Presidential Affairs Advisor Albert Dalmau stated that all services had been immediately mobilized, and wished the injured children a speedy recovery. Messages of support for families and teachers facing this difficult situation appeared on social media. Authorities pledged to conduct an investigation and review safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to El Pais, the incident raised concerns among parents regarding safety conditions during laboratory work in schools. Many are demanding stricter supervision and additional staff training. Issues around upgrading equipment and implementing new safety standards have once again come into the spotlight.
Safety measures and discussion
Following the incident in Porqueres, experts and representatives of educational institutions began discussing how to enhance child safety during practical lessons. Some schools have already launched unscheduled laboratory inspections and revised guidelines for teachers. Educators note that even with strict adherence to rules, risks cannot be completely eliminated, but additional measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of such incidents recurring.
The issue of staff training and the availability of necessary equipment for emergency response has become central in discussions among experts. Parents and community organizations are demanding transparency in the investigation and the publication of its findings. Authorities have promised to keep the public informed about the progress of the review and actions being taken.
Context and similar cases
In recent years, Spain has already recorded cases of children being injured during school experiments. For example, in 2024, a similar incident occurred at a school in Madrid, where two students were hurt while working with chemicals. The cause was an error in reagent dosage. After this event, several regions introduced additional guidelines for teachers and held safety training seminars. Analysis by russpain.com indicates that such incidents are most often related to insufficient protocol oversight and a lack of modern equipment in school laboratories. The need to upgrade educational institutions and regularly train staff remains relevant across the country.
