Dozens Of Students Taken To Hospital Following Gas Leak At NJ School
GLASSBORO, N.J. (CBS)--More than three dozen people were taken to the hospital from Glassboro Intermediate School for symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Officials say a boiler exhaust fan failed, allowing fumes to enter the school building.
Just before 9 a.m. Thursday, students, staff and teachers at Glassboro Intermediate noticed a bad smell.
"It smelled like rotten eggs," Ahmad Clanton, an 8th grader, said.
Seventh and 8th graders were given the order to evacuate.
"We were in second block and all of the sudden, the fire alarm went off and we were standing outside for an hour and a half," Augustina Whitaker, a 7th grader, said.
Emergency officials confirm to Eyewitness News that 40 people, including 37 students and 3 staff members, were taken to Kennedy University Hospital in Washington Township.
"I saw a couple stretchers coming in and out that school," Whitaker said.
We're told their symptoms ranged from nausea to dizziness.
"Some classmates went to the hospital because they were having stomach aches," Clanton said.
Firefighters swept the school building, and detected increased levels of carbon monoxide.
It was a determined an exhaust system for the school's boiler broke, and allowed fumes in the building.
Students from the intermediate school were taken to nearby Dorothy Bullock Elementary.
Parents were generally pleased with the school's handling of the emergency incident.
"Everyone seemed calm inside, and so I think as best as can be expected under the circumstances," Nikki Lee, a parent said.
Of the 40 people taken to the hospital nobody was admitted.
While the Glassboro district did provide information, the superintendent would not make himself available for an interview.
