Overview

• On July 9, 129 sixth graders at Kasai Elementary School in Moriyama City attended a pool lesson during which plastic mats heated by approximately 35.9°C sunshine caused burns to 62 students.
• Teachers acted after five students reported redness during post-class changing and found similar symptoms in 62 children, all of whom were taken for medical evaluation.
• City hospitals diagnosed each affected student with minor buttocks burns and released them home the same day without ongoing complaints.
• The Moriyama City Health and School Meals Division attributed the injuries to high surface temperatures of the plastic mats despite initial pre-class watering.
• Authorities will increase the frequency of mat watering alongside implementing weather-informed wait-time rules to prevent future heat-related injuries during outdoor lessons.