Seventeen students injured in a stampede in a primary school in southwest China were in stable conditions, local government sources said on Wednesday.

The two seriously injured boys, who fell to the ground and suffered some wounds on the head, have recovered from temporary coma and are able to sit up, eat and talk to people, said Li Changzhong, a government official with Malong County, where the accident took place.

They are expected to return to school in about 10 days after rehabilitation treatment, according to doctors.

The other 15 slightly injured pupils will be able to leave the hospital in three days.

The accident happened at about 9:50 AM. Tuesday when a boy of Tongquan Primary School of Qujing City, Yunnan Province, suddenly shouted "my shoes fell off into the ditch" in a toilet, arousing pushing and shoving among the rest of the pupils waiting to use the restroom. Some fell to the ground, causing a serious stampede.

Most of the injured are students of low grades aged about six to eight. The school resumed normal operation Tuesday afternoon.

Local officials are investigating in the accident.

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2007)