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A minor chemical spill Tuesday morning led to the evacuation of Washington Elementary School for about 2-1/2 hours.
No complaints resulting from the spill or the chemical's fumes were reported by faculty, staff or students.
"The school did everything just right as far as I'm concerned," said Ed Rock, Kosciusko County Emergency Management director.
According to Warsaw Community School Corp. Assistant Superintendent Sandra Hess, a common chemical called isotox accidentally was spilled at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the janitor storage area under the school. Because of the location, the fumes traveled quickly through the building. The janitor who knocked over the chemical reported the spill immediately to the building principal. The janitor also flushed the chemical out of the building quickly with water, Rock said. Only about a quarter of a bottle of isotox was estimated to have spilled, but every caution was taken to ensure the safety of the students and staff, Hess said.
"We're talking a very small amount," said Rock.
For the school's ventilation, there's a small tunnel system underneath the building that helps with the flow of air, he said. Where the chemical spill occurred was right where the air intake is located, which allowed the odor of the chemical to move into the school. The chemical is designed to kill insects, not people, Rock said, so the affect is negligible. "No need for medical treatment," he said.
Rock said the Warsaw Fire Department checked for toxicity and opened the windows and doors throughout the building. As a precaution, the Environmental Protection Agency was contacted.
Students were evacuated from the building immediately. Classes were held outside. Lunch was cooked and served at Edgewood Middle School, which is adjacent to Washington Elementary. Students and staff were allowed to return to the school at about 11 a.m., Hess said, after the spill was cleaned up.
Symptoms from isotox could have included light-headedness, sore throat or headache, Hess said, but none were reported.
If there's any message to be derived from the Tuesday morning incident, Rock said that if a situation doesn't feel right, get out of the building immediately.
"The school did a wonderful job of protecting the children," said Rock.
