[Updated, 3:45 p.m.] Broad Brook Elementary School Evacuated Safely Thursday After Gas Leak is Discovered

Update, 3:45 p.m.

Superintendent of Schools Theresa Kane said that she expects to have school on Friday, however, as a precaution, before the students arrive in the morning, the building will inspected by maintenance and also by the local fire department.

“We’re very excited to be getting back to school tomorrow,” she said. “I certainly respect the fear that the smell of gas can put into people. We should respect that and we take safety very seriously. We had it investigated and we will do it tomorrow before anybody is in the building.”

Kane said that this morning, a member of the staff thought she smelled gas and as a precautionary measure, the students were evacuated to the high school.

“It gave us the opportunity for us to have the building thoroughly inspected,” she said. “We certainly take the safety of children and staff as our primary concern, and we took the necessary precautions today.”

She said that Yankee Gas and the fire department went through and their meters did not detect any gas – neither natural gas nor carbon monoxide.

According to Kane, ModSpace – the owners of the modulars where the leak was detected on Wednesday – checked the heating units that are on top of modulars where the leak had been and everything was intact.

When they were evacuated, the students were taken to the high school and according to Kane, everything went very smoothly.

“I just can’t commend the students enough on their behavior,” she said. “The staff was exemplary in a very unusual circumstance to have to evacuate to another building, and to house them there for a couple of hours until we dismissed.”

According to Kane, the students were held in order to give the school messenger software time to work and for parents to make arrangements. She said that approximately 80 children were picked up by their parents at the high school and the rest went home on their regular bus routes.

Update, 11 a.m.

Yankee Gas spokesman Mitch Gross said that a technician was dispatched to the school at 8 a.m. and found no issues - no cause for the gas odor.

According to Gross, on Wednesday, an issue was found with a gas valve on the rooftop, the valve was shut down, and it was recommended that the school bring in someone to repair it. 

Gross said that it is unclear if this issue is related to the incident on Wednesday.

Original Story

For the second day in a row, students and staff at the Broad Brook Elementary School have had their day disrupted because of a gas leak.

According to an automated message sent to parents this morning by Superintendent of Schools Theresa Kane, students and staff were evacuated from the school this morning as a precautionary measure and everyone is safe. The students were bused to the East Windsor High School where they are with their teachers in the auditorium until they are dismissed at 11 a.m.

The students wil be brought home along their regular bus routes, according to the message.

Check back to Windsor Locks-East Windsor Patch for more details as they become available.