Authorities reported that some 30 Chilean students were hurt, some seriously, in an explosion Wednesday that occurred inside their capital school and was triggered by Molotov cocktails they were reportedly handling.
At a press conference, Health Minister Ximena Aguilera stated that five of the pupils from Santiago’s Barros Arana National Boarding School were in imminent risk of passing away.
Fernando Albornoz, a police colonel, stated that the cause of the devices’ explosion was unknown.
The explosion caused “various burns to a large number of students who were inside the toilet,” he said.
Local media said the explosion took place during preparations for a graduation celebration.
“The situation is a tragedy,” Interior Minister Carolina Toha said.“Molotov cocktails are weapons,” she said, adding that they were not an “acceptable tool for protests.”
In recent years, students from the school have often been involved in demonstrations and clashes with police as they demand more resources for public education.
