Several adults, 1 student taken to hospital after sewer gas leak at East TN elementary school
Students were dismissed early out of an abundance of caution, the district said.
What This Story Is About
- Students at Church Hill Elementary School in Hawkins County were dismissed early after a sewer gas leak.
Why It Matters
- Several adults and a student were taken to the hospital due to nausea and other symptoms.
What Happens Next
- Emergency responders and the gas company are assessing the incident.
HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) - An elementary school in East Tennessee was forced to dismiss early on Thursday after a sewer gas leak sent several people to the hospital.
The Hawkins County School District said students and staff at Church Hill Elementary School “noticed a gas smell in the outside air” at drop-off time Thursday morning.
This prompted emergency services and the gas company to be called to the school, district officials said, where they determined it was not a gas leak but instead a sewer gas leak off-site.
The district said the leak caused several adults who had spent longer periods of time outside to feel nauseous. As for students and other staff, they were kept indoors as nurses were on the scene to help.
Students were dismissed early out of an abundance of caution, the district said.
Additionally, several adult staff and one student experienced minor nausea and other symptoms and were taken to the hospital to be monitored.
Additional information was not released.
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