Leak forces evacuation of Pine Grove elementary school in Rowley
ROWLEY - A unknown odor forced an elementary school in Rowley to evacuate Tuesday morning.
A HVAC leak turned out to be the cause of the odor at Pine Grove School, which has children from pre-K to sixth grade. Officials looking into a rooftop heating and air conditioning unit as a possible source of the odor.
A Rowley Police spokesperson told WBZ-TV, "a number of people" were evaluated as a precaution. Several ambulances were parked at the school. One student and one employee were transported to the hospital.
Triton Regional School District Superintendent Brian Forget said families were notified about the incident.
"Students were evacuated per our protocols and police and fire are on scene assessing now with National Grid," Forget told WBZ-TV in a statement. "There are no injuries, it is just a matter of waiting for the building to be cleared to return."
Students were able to return to school at 11:30 a.m. All rooftop HVAC units have been shut off until they can be evaluated.