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St. Pete school evacuates for gas leak

Blanton Elementary students were allowed back inside after a pilot light was relit.

By STAFF WRITER
Published January 13, 2006

LEALMAN - A gas leak caused Blanton Elementary School to be evacuated for about 30 minutes this morning, a school district official said.

Principal Debi Turner was making rounds at the school at 6400 54th Ave. N around 8:20 a.m. when she smelled gas in the first-grade wing, said district spokesman Sterling Ivey. Turner immediately moved children who already had arrived at school to a church next door and asked staff to redirect buses that were dropping children off to the church parking lot.

The students remained at the church for about 30 minutes until a pilot light could be relit, Ivey said.

"It probably would not have injured anyone or been detrimental, but the principal didn't want to take the chance," he said.

The fire department has agreed to work with the district's maintenance staff to get the pilot lights replaced, Ivey said.

All the children were inside their classrooms by 9 a.m.

[Last modified January 13, 2006, 11:19:47]