Overview

• Police forensic work concluded that ethanol vapors ignited by an open flame during a classroom demonstration triggered the explosion.
• Three students and a mother were hurt; the oldest student, 16, was taken to Hospital Gutiérrez, while two teens with burns covering about 20% of their bodies are being treated for transfer to the Hospital del Quemado.
• Emergency crews from SAME and City Police responded to the Colegio Guadalupe in Palermo during a science fair featuring a 'volcano' experiment that used alcohol and fire.
• A video published later showed the blast occurring inside the room, as witnesses described frantic efforts to smother flames with lab coats and reported a lack of accessible fire extinguishers.
• City prosecutors opened an inquiry, the Buenos Aires Education Ministry said it is preparing a safety protocol for school experiments, and the school issued a statement noting ongoing medical evaluations.