Lane Tech High School evacuated, girls' basketball game halted after mercury is found in restroom
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Lane Tech High School reopened Friday after it was evacuated when mercury was found in a school restroom Thursday night.
Lane Tech Principal Edwina Thompson wrote in a letter to parents and families that late Thursday, a "small quantity of mercury" was discovered in the bathroom of the school, located at 2501 W. Addison St. The area was immediately secured, and all evening activities were canceled, Thompson wrote.
She also said the school worked with the CPS office of facilities, and a hazmat team to assess the situation.
Chicago Public Schools officials said the school reopened on Friday, although the source of the mercury remains unknown, and some areas of the school remain closed.
Cleanup teams will return to the school Friday and work through the weekend, including the Martin Luther King Day holiday, to complete mitigation work in affected areas while classes are not in session.
Lane Tech student and Lane Champion editor-in-chief Alex Burstein tweeted that a Local School Council meeting scheduled for Thursday night was canceled, and athletic events in the building were all stopped.
A sign was posted on the school's door reading, "All events canceled for tonight."
Sign just put up on Lane’s Door M. pic.twitter.com/tcOCzgQGz0
— Alex Burstein (@alex_burstein) January 13, 2023
Among the disrupted events was a girls' basketball game against William Howard Taft High School, which was postponed at halftime. In a YouTube stream of the game from Lane Tech Athletics, a play-by-play announcer says a school official has come out and announced everyone has been told everyone to exit the building.
The Police and Fire departments said they were not at the scene.
Thompson's letter did not indicate what was believed to be the source of the mercury.
Mercury is a liquid elemental metal that is found in the earth's crust. It is toxic and harmful to humans.
Thompson wrote that Lane Tech "working diligently with safety experts to address this situation, clean up the substance, and ensure everything is safe."
The school will keep families informed on further updates, including the plan for the school day on Friday.