Kindergarten pupils in China suffer burns to eyes after classroom ultraviolet lamp left on for hours

Kindergarten pupils in eastern China suffered painful burns in their eyes on Monday after teachers allegedly forgot to turn down a large ultraviolet lamp in the classroom, dealing another blow to the country’s scandal-mired preschool sector, according to local media.

At least eight children were taken to a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province to be treated for their red, swollen eyes.

Eye ointment was also prescribed for about a dozen others, the Qianjiang Evening News reported.

Teachers at the Dongyuan Kindergarten said a member of staff had failed to switch off the ultraviolet lamp that had been installed to kill bacteria.

The devices remained in operation for almost the whole morning even though they were supposed to be turned on for less than an hour in the morning to avoid eye damage to the children.