Girard schools continue to investigate odors

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

girard

School was canceled Friday at the Girard high school campus as investigators continued to search for the origin of strange odors in the building.

Schools Superintendent David Cappuzzello said Friday that the fire department and gas company would continue their investigation over the weekend, and schools should reopen Monday.

“I was thinking about a two-hour delay to see if we could bring kids in, then decided on three days to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

There were no odors reported in the building Friday, but investigators began their work there at 7 a.m.

The high-school and junior high-school students were evacuated and sent to a nearby church Wednesday morning because of a strong smell of natural gas. They were all sent home at 11 a.m.

The school building was evacuated again Thursday because of the smell of sulphur. Students were sent to the Prospect Elementary-Girard Intermediate building for an hour, then returned.

Cappuzzello said the odors appear to be coming from outside into the air handlers, which circulate outside air in the building.