School blast student has blood clot operation

One of the six students hurt in a savage blast at Kaitaia College yesterday has had an operation to remove a blood clot.

The year-11 student is still listed as critically ill in Auckland Hospital but another, also listed yesterday as critical, is on the mend.

College principal William Tailby said two students and a teacher were taken to Whangarei Hospital after the blast ripped through an engineering classroom early yesterday afternoon.

The three in Whangarei Hospital were reported today to be in a serious but stable condition.

Two of the wounded students were taken to Auckland because of the critical nature of their injuries.

"My understanding is that they operated on one of the boys and he is still on the critical list but the other boy in Auckland has been downgraded off critical. The two in Whangarei are off critical," Mr Tailby said.

- NZPA