Union Local Elementary closed Wednesday due to odor
BELMONT — Union Local Elementary School was closed unexpectedly on Wednesday after staff members discovered an odor in the building, but classes are expected to resume today.
The school district notified parents and other residents via social media posts, first announcing a two-hour delay to allow an investigation and then canceling classes when the source of the odor could not be immediately identified.
The district posted on social media that a “strong sewage or gas smell” was present in the structure prior to the start of the school day.
“We have not been able to fully determine the gas/sewage smell. For that reason we are going to cancel today at the Elementary,” the district posted. “We plan on having school tomorrow. If anything changes, we will let you know.”
Superintendent Zac Shutler said the building principal and district maintenance director alerted him to the issue at about 7:50 a.m., saying that the odor was “extremely strong.” Elementary school staff typically report for work at about 8:15 a.m., and some students already were aboard buses and en route to school. Due to the strong smell, though, the decision was made to return students to their homes and implement a two-hour delay. When the problem was not resolved within about 30 minutes, classes were canceled for the day.
“We thought it was best not to have students and staff in the building today,” he said later Wednesday morning. “Safety is our number one priority.”
He added that progress was being made.
“We have not fully determined the source,” Shutler said shortly after 10 a.m., noting that a clogged or backed up drain or pipe was suspected as the culprit. “Our maintenance staff is flushing the pipes and running water through them.”
Shutler recalled a situation last year that closed the high school and middle school temporarily. Broken pipes were allowing sewer gas to enter the schools. Plumbing in all of the buildings is one area that would be addressed if voters approve a $34.6 million bond issue in Tuesday’ general election.
Shutler did not think the problem Wednesday was related to past ventilation issues at the elementary building. He said new air handlers were installed on the roof about three years ago to correct that concern.
In addition to flushing the floor drains, Shutler said staff would monitor the building throughout the day Wednesday. He anticipated that classes would resume on their normal schedule today.