Boiler work leads to gas smell at school

ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. (AP) — The smell of gas that led to the evacuation of a Lawrence County high school and elementary school was from maintenance work being done on a boiler.

Columbia Gas spokesman Matt Pitzarella says a contractor was doing scheduled maintenance on a boiler Thursday morning at Lincoln High School in Elwood City. Officials smelled gas and decided to evacuate that school and the next-door Hartman Elementary.

Pitzarella says there was no leak and he’s not sure exactly what led to the smell. Students were sent home for the day, but classes will resume Friday.

The Ellwood City Area School District is replacing two old boilers in the high school.