STUDENTS
HOSPITALIZED AFTER CHEMISTRY LAB INCIDENT CAUSING HEAVY SMOKE AT GLOUCESTER
COUNTY SCHOOL
January 26, 2015
Kingsway
Regional High School, NJ
A "routine" chemistry experiment gone wrong forced
the evacuation of Kingsway Regional High School and sent several students and
faculty members to the hospital Monday, according district officials.
Police and EMS responded to the scene Jan. 26 shortly
after 7:40 a.m. for reports of smoke and fumes from a chemistry lab in the
school located at 203 Kings Highway in Woolwich Township.
Multiple ambulance units — as well as firefighters and
county HAZMAT officials —responded to the scene and the school was evacuated
and ventilated, according to scanner information.
Students were heating Lauric acid in an experiment to
show changes in temperature, according to Gloucester County spokeswoman Debra
Sellitto. There was possibly a contaminant in a beaker, which caused a bad
reaction.
Some parents had gathered at the scene Monday morning,
one mother who did not wish to be identified saying she was sick to her
stomach with worry that her son, who was in the school, had
not responded to her text message.
Kingsway Regional School District Superintendent Jim
Lavender confirmed that 12 students and five faculty members were
transported to Crozer Chester Medical Center in Pennsylvania for
precautionary treatment of respiratory issues.
Students and faculty that had been evacuated into the
middle school building were returning to the high school as of 9
p.m., according Lavender, who shared details with parents and students arriving
late
Lavender said the chemistry lab in question will remain
closed as investigation and cleanup continues.
Students had been scheduled for early release Monday at
noon due to the approaching snow storm.
//_____________________________________________//
UPDATE
All Kingsway
Regional High School students and faculty members who were hospitalized after a
chemistry lab mishap this morning have been released, and
"all appear to be fine" according to Superintendent Jim Lavender.
A "routine experiment" went awry around 7:40
a.m., sending 12 students and five faculty members to Crozer Chester Medical
Center.
Smoke and fumes from the incident also caused the high
school to be evacuated, with students taking shelter at Kingsway Middle School,
for just over an hour Monday morning.
Students were heating Lauric acid (a saturated fatty
acid), according to Gloucester County spokeswoman Debra Sellitto.
The chemical is heated in order to show changes in
temperature and it is believed there was a contaminant in a beaker that
created a bad reaction, she continued.
Woolwich Township's Fire and Police departments and the
Gloucester County Haz-Mat team were on site to inspect the school and students
began to return to classes around 9:20 a.m.
The chemistry lab will remain closed as investigation
and cleanup continues.
Kingsway is scheduled for early release Monday at noon
due to the approaching snowstorm.