1 Hospitalized After Carbon Monoxide Leak At Special Needs School

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) -- A special needs school in Owings Mills was evacuated Monday afternoon after a carbon monoxide leak was reported.

According to Baltimore County Fire officials, the CO leak is in the 11500 block of Cronridge Drive. The school evacuated is the Shafer Center.

There is still no word yet on if the school is going to reopen- crews were out at the school Monday night checking on the CO2 levels.

Jay Ringgold, director of Emergency Management for Baltimore County said students and staff noticed a peculiar smell and contacted BGE.

"It is colorless and odorless but sometimes the cause can be the malfunction of heating system which can give off peculiar odor," Ringgold said.

When BGE arrived they detected carbon monoxide and notified Baltimore County Fire.

Firefighters evacuated about 30 children and staff around 11:17 a.m. and moved them to Maryland Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program station next door.

Two adults were evaluated and one was taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening symptoms. Ringgold said a child was also evaluated on the scene.

"The kids were amazing I think some of them think this was an adventure, the staff thought this was an adventure," said Helen Shafer, founder of Shafer School.

Fire officials believe the cause could be an issue with the heating system.

"Every school has an emergency response plan for situations and I guess ours was today, you need to take care of the kids in your care and that's what we did today," Shafer said.

Parents like Erin Chau said the school handled the situation well.

"I was concerned this is supposed to be a safe place but i know they're going to do everything they can for him it's a safe place for my son," Chau said.

The students and staff will not go back to the building until the cause is determined and fixed.

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In:
• Baltimore
• Owings Mills
• Baltimore County