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Strong odor at Caney Creek High School cancels class, sends at least 6 students to the hospital
FOX 26 Reporter Matthew Seedorff spoke with parents and officials about the odor that canceled class on the campus.
HOUSTON - Due to a possible gas leak, Caney Creek High School has been evacuated Thursday morning after a gas smell was reported near the cafeteria.
According to officials, Caney Creek Fire Department and Conroe ISD Maintenance Department are investigating the source of the smell and the gas at the school has been turned off.
The school district sent out a notice stating, "We anticipate being able to re-enter the building shortly. Preparations have been made for cold lunches if necessary, and fans are being brought in to help circulate the air."
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Caney Creek Fire Chief Raymond Flannelly says they were unable to determine where the odor was coming from. They arrived on Wednesday and weren't able to determine anything, so they believed the issue was resolved after turning off the gas.
Kayleigh Pate, a freshman, says she left school feeling sick on Wednesday. As a result, her mother kept her home as a precaution Thursday.
"It just smelled like gas," said Kayleigh. "Every kid I saw was having headaches. Plenty of them were puking. There was around 20 or 30 ish that I saw."
"When I picked my daughter up, all of these kids were coming up holding their heads [and] vomiting," said Kayleigh’s mother Cecily. "[Some were] nauseous, passing out."
On Thursday, they received another call and The Woodlands HAZMAT team was called to help investigate the scene. Neither agency's meters picked up on anything and were unable to determine where the odor was coming from.
At least six children were said to be taken to the hospital after experiencing headaches.
"These hazmat teams are professionals," said Chief Ray Flannely from Caney Creek Fire and Rescue. "They know a lot about different types of gases. Their meters picked up nothing, so it’s a mystery."
Right now, officials from the school and the fire department aren’t ruling out that the smell could be some sort of student prank.
The school district insists they’re going to keep investigating until the cause is identified.
"It could be a prank," said Flannely. "Some type of spray that is being discharged around the school. We hope it’s not, because I promise you they’ll be held accountable."
"Until I find out it’s cleared up my kid will not go up there," said Cecily. "They have shown they are negligence when informing parents what’s going on."
The school's principal sent out this message Thursday evening:
"Our investigation into the source of the odor continues as there were no findings with the smoke test. We encourage anyone with information to contact campus administration or make a report through the Anonymous Alerts app.
Caney Creek HS will not have school tomorrow, Friday, May 5th, to allow the contractors to continue their investigation into the source. Just as we have throughout this situation, we will update you as we know more."
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Below are the letters sent out to CCHS parents on Wednesday and Thursday about the concerning odor:
Message sent May 3, at 12:27 PM
Due to a concerning odor, Caney Creek HS will dismiss at 1 p.m. today. Bus routes will also run early. We will update you as we learn more about the issue.
Message sent May 3, at 5:46 PM
Parents/Guardians,
Thank you for your support and understanding today with our early dismissal. The Conroe ISD Maintenance Department has worked diligently throughout the day to address the concerning odor. We look forward to a great day of school tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Jeff Stichler, Principal
Message sent May 3, at 9:35 PM
Parents/Guardians,
As mentioned in my earlier communication, we are looking forward to a great day of school tomorrow. To help make that happen, many individuals have been hard at work at our school. The exact source of the odor has not been determined, but many steps have been taken to ensure a clean and healthy school environment.
An outside consultant examined the building, and the Conroe ISD Custodial Department is deep cleaning the campus tonight. District plumbers have been checking pipes and vents and will be on-site in the morning. Odor neutralizers were also placed in the air handlers to freshen the air, and the air conditioners are running through the night.
We will continue to investigate the source of the issue from earlier today, and I will update you when we know more. I am so thankful for the individuals working into the night and early in the morning to ensure the campus is ready for our students.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stichler, Principal
Message sent May 4, at 12:02 PM
Parents/Guardians,
To keep you informed, I wanted to let you know that the concerning odor appears to be returning to the building. The Caney Creek Fire Department is at the school to assist in trying to determine the source. We are currently evaluating the situation with various District departments and will update you as soon as possible with information about the remainder of the day.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stichler, Principal