File
A third learner from a Libode school who sustained serious burns while trying to kill a snake by setting the grass alight has died of his injuries.
This was confirmed by Eastern Cape Education MEC, Fundile Gade, who also attended the funeral of one of the learners in the town on Tuesday where he said he heard the sad news.
Seven learners at the Nzuluka Junior Primary School sustained burn wounds from a fire that was started in a bid to kill a snake in the grass on the school grounds.
The children sustained burn wounds when the fire apparently spread to a shed where two 25 litre drums of sanitiser were kept, causing the containers to erupt injuring the learners, three of them seriously.
Three were seriously injured and admitted to St Barnabas Hospital where two learners died last week and the third, according to MEC Gade, died in the hospital on Tuesday.
The MEC said the remaining four learners were still in the hospital.
Gade said after hearing about the incident the Department took a decision to visit the families of the learners and also to attend the funeral service of one of the learners.
He said that a budget would be allocated to assist the families with their funerals while the Department of Education would be providing counselling services.
