Chemical blamed for Schenectady High School evacuation

SCHENECTADY — Fire officials believe chemicals used to clean ducts in a wing at Schenectady High School were responsible for noxious fumes that made three employees ill on Thursday and forced evacuation of the school.

Administrators ordered an evacuation of all the roughly 2,800 students after a chlorine odor was detected shortly before 11:30 a.m. City firefighters determined the fumes were isolated to the A wing and had not affected students.

“The high school did the proper thing,” said Fire Chief Robert Farstad. “They hit the alarm and called us at the same time.”

The students, some wearing shorts and others huddling beneath blankets, spent nearly a half-hour in almost freezing temperatures outside while firefighters determined what areas were affected. The students were eventually moved to the auditorium and gymnasium while hazardous materials teams checked the area where the odor was initially detected.

“The situation is under control and the kids are safe,” Farstad said.

Farstad said the odor was first detected near where the school was doing duct work in a tunnel. He said three school workers complained of “general malaise” after inhaling the fumes. They were taken to Ellis Hospital. Farstad said their ailments did not appear serious.

District spokeswoman Karen Corona said the workers who noticed the fumes were in two offices.

Students spent the remainder of the day in the high school gym or auditorium. Corona said classes were suspended and the students essentially used the time as a study hall. Corona said the district will review what created the situation.

“We’re going to do everything we can to prevent it from happening again,” she said.