School Evacuated, Two Teachers Go to Hospital After Chemical Used

The Cornerstone Christian School in Manchester was evacuated Monday after the odor from a chemical a worker was using in the basement wafted through the building, according to reports.

About 200 students were evacuated from the school, with eight students and a teacher falling ill, according to NBC Connecticut. The Hartford Courant reported two teachers were taken to the hospital (NBC Connecticut said only one), but no one was seriously hurt in the incident. Eight young students were treated at the scene for headaches and nausea, then released to their parents, the newspaper reported.

Manchester Fire Department’s Eighth Utilities District went to the school, located at 218 Main St., at about 12:20 p.m., according to the Courant’s report, citing Acting Fire Chief Don Moore. Firefighters ventilated the building and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

A worker at the school used a lubricant to loosen some bolts in the basement. Noticing the bad smell, the worker sprayed some air freshener around, which appears to have made the matter worse, according to reports. By 1:20 p.m., students were allowed back in, according to NBC Connecticut.

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