MANITOU SPRINGS — Students at the Manitou Springs Elementary School were evacuated on Tuesday morning after a powder was found in the auditorium.
The Manitou Springs Fire Department was contacted after an "inhalation incident of an unknown cause," according to the City of Manitou Springs.
The students were moved to Manitou Springs High School. As of now, there are no reports of injuries from students or faculty. The Manitou Springs Fire Department evaluated each of the students.
The following letter was sent to parents of the Manitou Springs School District:
"District-Wide Update: Hazmat Investigation and Plan for Tomorrow
Dear Manitou Springs School District Families and Staff,
I want to provide an update and a brief recap of today’s events at Manitou Springs Elementary School (MSES). Recap of Today:
• This morning, a visible powder was discovered in the Manitou Springs Elementary School auditorium, where 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students were present. Some individuals experienced symptoms such as coughing and burning eyes. Manitou Springs Fire Department officials say symptoms resolved once students and staff were removed from the area.
• MSES families, if you have any immediate health concerns, we encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider.
• As a precaution, the school was evacuated, and students and staff were relocated to Manitou Springs High School, where our reunification plan was implemented.
• The Manitou Springs Fire Department and El Paso County Hazmat team conducted a thorough investigation.
Update on the Hazmat Investigation: The El Paso County Hazmat team’s testing determined that no hazardous substance was present. The auditorium has been cleared for cleaning, and a deep cleaning will be conducted as an added precaution. The auditorium will remain closed and unused until this process is complete.
Plan for Tomorrow: Manitou Springs Elementary School will resume its normal class schedule tomorrow, Wednesday, December 18. Manitou Springs Fire Department and the El Paso County Hazmat team have deemed the building safe.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we prioritized the safety and well-being of our students and staff."
Students News5 spoke with explained how a normal day of school turned into panic when they started smelling gas and began to cough.
“We didn’t really know what was happening; we just had to get out of the school,” said India Joseph, a fourth grade student at the school.
The students were moved to the high school, where parents were asked to pick up their children.
India’s mom, Rebecca Joseph, says how she found out about the incident.
“At first they just told me it was an irritant in the air and was making some kids cough… I didn’t realize it was mine,” she said.
For India, she just wants to be back in the classroom.
“I’m really hoping that I can go back to school and see what is happening because we had to leave all of our stuff.”
The Manitou Springs Fire Department evaluated each of the students before releasing them to their parents or guardians.
School will be back in session tomorrow, although the auditorium where the third, fourth, and fifth graders were present will be closed.
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