Waltham Elementary School Closed Due To Gas Leak
WALTHAM (CBS) -- Waltham Public Schools said all students and staff are safe after the odor of natural gas caused the evacuation of an elementary school Tuesday morning.
A few teachers were inside the Whittemore Elementary School on Parmenter Road around 7:30 a.m. when the odor was detected by a maintenance employee. Everyone evacuated safely, and no students were present at the time.
The Waltham Fire Department arrived, and found the CO levels were so high it was deemed unsafe to allow students inside for the entire day.
"Readings were very high," Waltham Fire Chief Paul Ciccone said. "Initially readings of 130, which is extremely high,"
As students arrived to the school, they were put in buses to keep warm and were transported to McDevitt Middle School on Church Street.
The elementary school was closed as a precaution, and will remain closed for the rest of the day.
Students were served breakfast at the middle school. A statement from Pat Chadbourne, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, said children would remain in class until the end of the day if they were not picked up.
"If you are a Whittemore parent we strongly suggest that you pick up your child at McDevitt as soon as possible," Chadbourne said.
Chadbourne said officials were working to provide "instructional activities" to the elementary school students at the middle school.
The school's carbon monoxide detectors were working properly--and Chief Ciccone says this is a good reminder for people at home to make sure they have working detectors.
"I can't stress enough everyone should have carbon monoxide detectors in their home," Ciccone said. "They do work, they're early warning devices, I can't stress that enough."
Classes are scheduled to resume at the school on Wednesday.
