1. Students poisoned at Brisbane school after ingesting substance they thought was popping candy.
Twenty-five students at a school north of Brisbane have become violently ill after eating what they thought were lollies – but turned out to be Mystical Fire – a novelty substance that is thrown on camping fire to create multi-coloured flames, made from copper sulphate and copper chloride.
News Limited reports that just after 2pm yesterday paramedics were called to Deception Bay State School, north of Brisbane after one of the students brought the crystals to school and convinced the others it was popping candy.
A parent told The Courier-Mail their 10-year-old child was given the crystals that look like popping candy by another child that they did not know from another year.
“He said he saw a friend have it and they fell down shaking.”
Another child, Year 4 student Leilani Nanai said “The girl who was giving it out had ripped the part of the packet where it said ‘fire’ to make it seem it wasn’t bad.”
Four children were hospitalised but are expected to make a full recovery.
The Department of Education said that the “school followed the correct procedure and took immediate action to notify Emergency Services and parents.”