MANITOU SPRINGS — Manitou Springs Elementary School has released students for the day for a second time this week in response to a hazmat situation.
The district says the school was evacuated as a precaution when staff members on the basement level began experiencing symptoms such as coughing and watery eyes- similar to the symptoms experienced by students and staff in a different part of the building on Tuesday.
Today, the MSFD and the El Paso County Hazmat Team have responded to the incident, as of 12:15 p.m. the hazmat team has conducted a thorough examination of all HVAC systems and determined those systems not to be the cause.
Hazmat officials believe the source of the issue to be a vacuum used on both Tuesday in the auditorium and Thursday morning by staff in the basement.
The school will remain closed on Friday while crews work to deep clean the school out of extra precaution.
If you are a parent/guardian of a student at the school, Manitou Springs Elementary School has released the below information on early release pick-up:
Early Release Details:
- Pick-Up Instructions: Parents and guardians are asked to pick up their children as soon as possible at Manitou Springs Elementary School.
- Sign-Out Process: Students will only be released to individuals listed on their approved contact list.
- Location: Manitou Springs Elementary School
This evacuation is following a separate evacuation that occurred on Tuesday, December 17, after students and staff found an unknown substance in the auditorium. Students were reported to be coughing and having burning eyes.
Manitou Springs Fire Department (MSFD) reported the situation had been resolved on Tuesday, and students returned to school on Wednesday after deep cleaning efforts were made.
Cleaning in the auditorium included;
- cleaning carpet and seats in the auditorium (excluding curtains)
- all surfaces, including walls, stage, and parts of the seats, disinfected with an approved cleaning solution
- air-purifying machines were placed in the auditorium overnight to help purify the air.
This is an ongoing investigation, and News5 will update this story after more information is released.
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