Police investigates mass food poisoning in Azerbaijan school - UPDATE

18:41

The Sumgayit City Police Department investigates the facts of mass poisoning at secondary school No.38, Assistant to the Sumgayit City Prosecutor Ahmed Mammadov said.

The crackers have been sent to a laboratory for an examination.

Mammadov said the investigation would identify the culprits and in the case their guilt is proved, they will be prosecuted under the relevant Article 200 "Deception of consumers or the production and sale of substandard products" of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.

18:00

As many as 47 schoolchildren have been hospitalized, the school’s director Nadir Atakishiyev said.

The state of two of the girls are grave.

All of the hospitalized children are from 3rd to 8th grades.

According to early reports, the mass poisoning was caused by crackers.

Expired packets of crackers (term of use of which expired in May 2009) were distributed among the schoolchildren by three unknown men who arrived in a VAZ-2106 sedan to advertize company's products.

Police have detained one of them.

It was later revealed that all three men were employees of "Slint" company.

An investigation is underway.

/ANS PRESS, Trend News/