A natural gas sensor alert led to the evacuation of Central Westmoreland Career & Technology School in New Stanton on Monday morning, according to school officials.
“Two of our teachers came in with their gas sensors to say the levels were a little higher than normal,” said CWCTC Director Jason Lucia. “So just to be cautious, we got the kids and staff out of the building in a routine evacuation drill.”
Lucia said school officials called Columbia Gas, which had a crew on-site in about 20 minutes.
“They shut off all the main gas valves on campus and checked everything,” Lucia said “Thankfully no one was seriously affected.”
Westmoreland County 911 officials said EMS crews ultimately took six students to local hospitals for evaluation.
Lucia said students in the school’s morning session were allowed back into the building to get their belongings, before catching buses back to their respective schools.
“Those buses were delayed about 30 minutes because of the evacuation,” Lucia said.
The school’s afternoon classes were canceled while Columbia Gas crews remained at the campus investigating, Lucia said.
