Ambulances from all over the South Shore helped transport 34 students and staff of Silver Lake Regional High School Friday, Feb. 7, who were sickened by a noxious odor in a regular classroom. A Hazardous Materials response was mounted and first responders went into the classroom to determine the severity of the situation.
As of press time on Thursday, Feb. 13, no cause had been determined.
In a statement prepared by Silver Lake Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx through the Silver Lake portal, students and their families were told that no cause was found for the odor. Hazmat was not able to determine the source, but they did confirm there were no life-threatening hazards. Extensive air and surface testing was done by the HazMat team using a variety of metering and testing devices.
“In addition to the first responders and staff, I want to thank our students. They were patient and brave during a difficult situation. I want them to know that we will always do everything in our power to ensure their safety. On behalf of Silver Lake, thank you for your patience, kindness and courage,” said Proulx in her statement.
The Fire Chief and Health Department determined students and staff could re-enter the building once the cleaning of the 1100s and 2100s was complete. Service Master was contracted to complete a thorough surface and air cleaning using ozone scrubbers of classrooms, lockers and duct work, according to Proulx’s statement. Staff and students were reportedly released from the hospital due to incident at the high school and were home safe as of 8 p.m. Friday, Feb 7.