GEORGE TOWN, May 6 — State police confirmed that there is no chemical hazard at Bayan Lepas secondary school thought to have experienced a chemical leak this morning.

Southwest district deputy police chief DSP Jefri Md Zain said the incident was limited to a chemistry experiment involving iodine that went awry during class.

"During the experiment, the Form Four students heated up the iodine and due to lack of ventilation in the science laboratory, this caused 20 students to suffer shortness of breath,” he said in a brief statement today.

He said the students were coughing continuously due to the incident and paramedics were dispatched to the site.

"Until now, only 13 students are being given oxygen and placed under observation,” he said.

He stressed that there was no chemical leak or any explosion at the school.