THOMPSON, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – Officials in a Connecticut school district are searching for an answer to what caused 12 people to become sick at a middle school.
Emergency crews were called to Thompson Public Schools on Thursday morning.
Thompson Public Schools Superintendent Melinda Smith told WFSB that the 12 people were transported to three different hospitals for “not feeling well.”
Of the 12, Day Kimball Hospital confirmed to WFSB that five people were students.
“They were evaluated by our emergency medical team,” the hospital said in a statement. “We can confirm that all five students received medical care and have been discharged.”
Smith described the main symptom as being nausea.
“We provided information to families as soon as we could,” Smith said. “They received a call and four texts informing them along the way as to what was happening.”
A WFSB crew reportedly saw a fire truck parked outside of Tourtellotte Memorial High School in North Grosvenordale. However, Smith said the response was concentrated at the middle school on the property.
Students and staff from all schools were evacuated around 9:30 a.m. for about an hour and a half.
Resident Cora Grider received a voicemail letting her know about the evacuation.
“The district is currently on a level two evacuation…” the voicemail said.
She was nervous but happy her grandchildren were safe.
Some students were picked up by parents.
“I’m glad we got both phone calls and text messages and emails; they kept us up to date. That’s super great for them to do and that makes me feel better having our children in the school system,” said Matthew and Emily Gomes, parents in the school district.
Smith told parents that while evaluating the classroom in question, they found an exhaust fan and unit ventilation had failed. They were in the process of being repaired, and first responders deemed it safe.
Smith also said the town’s building inspector evaluated the boiler area and found no issues. She said this was not carbon monoxide poisoning.
“Everybody was talking about it. Honestly, no one understands what happened or what was going on. You hear all types of different things,” said Jackie Dibonaventura, a cafeteria worker at the middle school.
On Friday, the fire marshal and firefighters returned to Thompson Middle School and tested every single room on campus. No high carbon monoxide levels were found.
Fire Marshal James Seney gave WFSB a look at the technology used inside the classrooms to test for unhealthy gases, including carbon monoxide.
“They used multiple of these meters within the complex to get readings and found no readings in the space of the area they had issues,” said Seney.
These machines are calibrated and checked often, along with the ones inside the school.
As for the victims who became sick, WFSB spoke with someone close to a victim who did not want to be identified.
“They’re doing a lot better now. They still have brain fog and chest pains… just kind of trying to take it easy,” they said.
The victim’s discharge paperwork from UMass Harrington Hospital reportedly diagnosed them with carbon monoxide exposure and called their CO level “elevated,” but not dangerous.
“If it was a higher concentration, then it would’ve been a concern to us. But it was low enough that it’s a permissible level,” said Seney.
You can’t see, smell or taste carbon monoxide. There are also outside factors that could increase CO levels inside you, like smoking, vaping, or being near a wood or pellet stove. Anything with combustion gives off CO.
“It was shocking to get a phone call and have them say, ‘This person I know is going to the hospital and their oxygen levels are in the 80s,’” said the person close to a victim.
“I have children up there that go to that school, so I want to know it’s safe as well,” assured Seney. “The chief complaint was headache, dizziness, chest pains, difficulty breathing.”
“Any amount of carbon monoxide is not good in your body,” said Dr. Justin Cahill, Bridgeport Hospital Emergency Department Chair. “Those are very vague symptoms; it could be the beginning of a lot of illnesses, even the flu or just a cold. But if a mass of people are having the same symptoms in the same area at the same time, we should really be looking at exposure possibilities.”
School and town leaders insist the air is safe and that there is no carbon monoxide.
The fire marshal will be back next week to do random checks. He has suggested the school add extra CO detectors near the classroom in question just to be safe.
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