Paullina, Iowa — Everyone is safe following the evacuation of the South O’Brien School building at Paullina this morning. The building was evacuated after the reported smell of natural gas.
O’Brien County Emergency Management Coordinator Jerad Johnson tells KIWA that, as of 12:15 this afternoon, Black Hills Energy, the school’s natural gas provider, was on scene and are going through the school building thoroughly, testing for the presense of natural gas. As a result, Johnson says the Paullina school building will be closed for the remainder of the day.
Johnson says everyone was evacuated from the school building, and stressed that everyone was safe and unharmed following that evacuation.
Since Black Hills Energy will be working in the school for at least a couple of hours, Johnson says school officials opted to cancel the rest of the school day at the Paullina center. He says high school students are being released. Junior high students will remain until they can be picked up by a parent, or until bus time. Freshman students who have no transportation can either be picked up by a parent, or they’ll be held until bus time. Johnson says the kids will be fed lunch, but will not be allowed back inside the school building until Black Hills Energy completes their investigation and declares the building safe.
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Original story posted 11:29 am 4/27/18
Paullina, Iowa — The South O’Brien School at Paullina was evacuated this morning due to the smell of natural gas in the building.
The Paullina Fire Department was called to the building this morning after the smell of natural gas was reported. O’Brien County EMA Coordinator Jerad Johnson tells KIWA that everyone was evacuated from the building, and everyone is safe.
As of 11:15 this morning, Johnson says they’re awaiting the arrival of representatives of the gas company who will inspect the facility, and find the source of the gas smell.
Johnson stressed that everyone is outside the building, and is safe.
We’ll have more information when it becomes available.
