ROWLEY — Triton Regional School District Superintendent Brian Forget, Fire Chief Mark Emery and Police Chief Scott Dumas report that the Rowley Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of an odor at Pine Grove Elementary School on Tuesday morning.
Shortly before 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, Rowley Police and Fire received reports of a strange odor at Pine Grove Elementary School, primarily located in a music room.
The complaints triggered a series of procedures and protocols, including a building evacuation and a mutual aid emergency response from surrounding communities, as is standard.
A total of 15 people (12 students and three employees) were evaluated at the scene. Out of an abundance of caution, one student and one employee were transported via ambulance to area hospitals for further assessment and/or treatment.
The building was ventilated and cleared by Rowley Fire. The students and staff returned to their normal school day at approximately 11:30.
Mutual aid responders included Topsfield Fire, Georgetown Fire, Amesbury Fire, and Action Ambulance. Newbury Fire covered Rowley during the incident response.
The cause of the leak, which appeared to originate at a rooftop HVAC unit, remains under investigation. All rooftop units were shut off and will not be turned back on until they are fully inspected by town building officials and the district’s HVAC contractor.