SANTIAGO, OCT 24 – About 30 Chilean students were injured yesterday, some of them in critical condition, as a result of the explosion of Molotov cocktails they handled inside their school in the capital, authorities said.
Five of the students from the Barros Arana National Boarding School in Santiago are in mortal danger, Health Minister Ximena Aguilera said at a press conference.
Police colonel Fernando Albornoz said it was unclear why the device exploded.
The explosion resulted in “various burns to a large number of students who were in the bathroom,” he said.
Local media reported that the explosion occurred during preparations for a graduation celebration.
“This situation is a tragedy,” said the Minister of Home Affairs, Carolina Toha.
“Molotov cocktails are weapons,” he said, adding that they are not “an acceptable tool for protest.”
In recent years, students from the school have often been involved in demonstrations and clashes with police as they demand more
many resources for public education. – AFP
