Olton ISD back open for Monday classes; carbon monoxide traced to kitchen

OLTON, TX (KCBD) - All Olton ISD campuses will be back open Monday, Feb. 6, now that the district has located the source of carbon monoxide that caused some reports of illness in the district.

Classes were dismissed early on Wednesday, Feb. 1 due to a suspected gas leak and remained closed for two days as they investigated the source.

Inspectors found that carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were coming from the kitchen, building up since there was less air flow during the extended period of cold weather last week.

The district is cutting off gas to kitchen appliances until they find a way to improve air flow in the kitchen and possibly replace. Students can expect cold breakfast and lunch until they can make repairs and replacements.

You can see the full statement from the district below:

All Olton ISD campuses will reopen tomorrow, February 6, 2023.

After an extensive inspection and analysis of our district facilities by multiple experts and safety agents, we have determined that the source of the harmful gas was the kitchen on the Elementary School Campus. The experts who tested every part of our District facilities found that the kitchen was emitting Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide, as a result of less outside air circulation into the building during the extended period of extreme cold temperatures last week. In order to ensure our facilities are safe, we are shutting off gas to all gas-powered cooking appliances, until we can more fully assess and improve the air flow quality in the kitchen and cafeteria.

Because we will be shutting off these appliances, breakfast and lunch will be served cold until we can complete the assessment of the appliances and make any needed repairs and/or replacement of equipment. We will continue to have experts conduct air quality and ventilation monitoring to ensure that the kitchen and all District facilities are safe. Additionally, we have begun installing Carbon Monoxide and/or Carbon Dioxide detectors throughout the District. Finally, in order to exercise the utmost care, some of the older heating equipment in the district will be removed and possibly replaced.

School will resume tomorrow, February 6, 2023. We want to assure our families that we have thoroughly inspected all facilities and they are safe for our students and staff members.

Thank you,

Kevin McCasland OISD Superintendent

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