18 more Makalapa students
taken to area hospitals

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By Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com

Eighteen students at Makalapa Elementary School were taken to area hospitals this morning complaining of similar symptoms that afflicted 16 children and one educational assistant there last Friday.

Both Honolulu Fire Department Hazardous Materials Teams again responded to the school on Salt Lake Boulevard. But instead of decontaminating the kids at the school, firefighters wrapped the children with plastic bags and put them on ambulances to be examined and decontaminated at the hospitals. Twelve children went to Queen's Medical Center and six were taken to Tripler Army Medical Center.

School officials called the fire department at 8:06 a.m. after the children started reporting to the school's health office complaining of irritation on their arms and necks.

"The school initially reported a chemical odor but we have discounted that and a Health Department Vector Control official is looking at mites as the possible cause," said Capt. Richard Soo, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman. He said the children had rashes and bite marks on their on their arms and backs of their necks.

Soo said the school was locked down for about an hour.

On Friday the fire department was called to the school after the kids complained of irritation to their skin, eyes and throat.

Fire officials said they suspected Friday's incident was caused by either pepper spray or mace.

Soo said the symptoms reported by the children today are different.

However, when the children started experiencing the skin rashes today, they all were reportedly in the same area outside Building D as the children who were affected on Friday.

Fire officials have cordoned off the area outside, which includes a tree.