Gas leak delays school

For the second time this month, classes at Washington Junior High School were delayed due to a concern in the family consumer sciences lab.

As they arrived at school shortly before 8 a.m. today, students were kept outside after the odor of natural gas was detected coming from the family consumer science lab. Washington Schools Superintendent Mike Jorgensen said he believed that during the incident on May 3 that caused the school to be evacuated, some small holes were made causing a gas leak.

?We?ve shut off the gas in the building,? Jorgensen said. ?When I left there at 9 a.m., the plumbing company had already arrived to begin repairs. It will be repaired during the day today.?

Jorgensen said the ovens had been moved when checking for a gas leak May 3. The leak then had been a carbon monoxide leak. He said that he believes a natural gas leak was caused when the stoves were moved. He said two leaks were found in a pipe attached to one of the stoves in the room and there may be a leak under the room in the tunnels.

Students were allowed to enter the building at about 9:15 a.m. and had missed the first period class. Jorgensen complemented the manner in which the students were patient in waiting for class to begin.

On May 3, students were evacuated as a precautionary measure after a carbon monoxide detector went off. Alliant Energy responded and discovered an exhaust fan had malfunctioned and there had been a carbon monoxide buildup in the fan. The situation was corrected.

Washington Fire Chief Tom Wide said the leak was detected in the family and consumer science room, the same room where carbon monoxide was detected.

?There are a couple small leaks on the gas line coming in,? Wide said. ?It?s really minor. If you had the windows open or some air moving, it wouldn?t have been that big a deal. With the school being closed up all weekend, you could smell the gas better.?

Wide said the school would shut off the gas lines going to the stove in the family and consumer science room. The school will pressure test them. Wide said the amount of gas seeping in was so small that it did not present a danger to the school.

Wide said that a high concentration of natural gas in an enclosed space can be dangerous. He remembered an incident in 2007 when a house on North Second Avenue exploded after natural gas filled the home. Jorgensen said he did not believe there was a danger this morning of an explosion.

Jorgensen said that the primary concern when the district learned that it could shut the gas off in the building until repairs were made was how to feed lunch to the students. He said the ovens in the kitchen would not get natural gas. He said that there were alternative plans that will allow students to get lunch today.