Baguio City Nat'l High: Reports on quake drill stampede erroneous

MANILA, Philippines - The Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) dismissed as 'erroneous and greatly exaggerated' earlier media reports claiming that 54 students were hurt during their earthquake drill last Friday.

"Contrary to some media articles reporting the drill commenced at 11:30 (a.m.), it actually started at 9:30 (a.m.) and ended at 10 in the morning. Part of the drill were simulations of casualties. Selected students were requested to pretend to have been injured to create a scenario which concerned personnel might encounter in an actual disaster," BCNHS said in a statement.

The school said the earthquake drill was conducted in cooperation with the Baguio City Office of Civil Defense and the Baguio Fire Department. The school said personnel from the said government offices and a local journalist Ramon Dacawi can confirm the smooth conduct of the drill contrary to what media reports claimed.

"The reported students who were taken to the hospital were not hurt because of a stampede but through several unrelated reasons. One student was actually sick even before the drill, while another was playfully pushed by a classmate and sustained a minor wound, the third was hurt in a fistfight with a fellow student. A few students who were reported to have fainted were brought to the school clinic," the school said.

It added that occasionally, some students faint since they skip breakfast.

"Their hunger coupled with their exposure to the warm sunlight in the evacuation area may have caused them to fill dizzy," BCNHS added.