Parents close down kindergarten after leukaemia deaths

ANGRY parents of children attending a Limassol kindergarten yesterday closed the school indefinitely because they say an electrical sub-station has caused leukaemia in four pupils.

Two of the children died, while a third is fighting for his life in London.

The fourth child is understood to be clear of leukaemia.

The parents’ association of the 15th Public and Community Kindergarten in Polemidia yesterday decided to shut the school down, claiming tests had shown electromagnetic field emissions to be higher than the accepted standards.

The action follows repeated but vain pleas to the Education Ministry to move the kindergarten.

"There were 60 children in the school and now only half that number remain," said Parents’ Association Chairman Michalis Michail.

"Four had leukaemia, two died, one is in therapy, while another was cured," Michail said.

"Most parents have moved their children to other schools," he said, adding that almost all registrations for the next school year had been withdrawn.

If the ministry did not find another site for the school, then it would remain closed, Michail said.

Electricity Authority (EAC) spokesman Tassos Roussos disputed the validity of the tests cited by the parents, and maintained the structure was meant to be a house and was later turned into a school.

He said the EAC had carried out extensive tests to sub-stations and found the emissions to be below the suggested limits.

"We follow what the European Union and the World Health Organisation say. What else can we do? We cannot go to the limits suggested by scientists A or B," Roussos said.

"We believe that there are many environmental and other factors that need to be studied before making allegations," he added.

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