Hightstown High School (Mercer County) was evacuated this morning after a teacher fell ill from fumes generated in a non-operating fume hood in a science lab. Students and staff were moved to buses outside the school and the students were being sent home. Edward Forsthoffer, the East Windsor Regional School District superintendent posted pertinent informaiton on the school district's website.
First responders, including hazmat teams, were on the scene around 0900 hours today. Hightstown police, firefighters from Hightstown and East Windsor, and first aid crews from East Windsor and Capital Health gathered near the school entrance. Police were restricitng access to the campus while hazmat teams examined the building.
All of the students are safe and parents were advised not to come to school as the students were being sent home on school buses.
It was initially reported that one teacher was injured. Subsequent information was updated to reflect that 3 teachers experienced respiratory distress and one teacher fell during the evacuation.
EPA Region 2 OSC Eric Daly, representing EPA, responded to the scene and met with school, health department and media reps.
The school is closed until Tuesday, Jan 21st, There is a remediation company on the scene. As of 1400 hours, other than some routine cleanup, the event is essentially terminated.
