DHS students evacuated for hour and a half due to natural gas

PHOTO: A fire truck arrived at Davis High at 10:33 this morning to investigate the smell of gas on campus.

By Mattias RowenBale,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Davis High students were evacuated from their 2nd period classes around 9:55 a.m. Tuesday morning.

“We’ve had multiple reports of smells of natural gas. Started out at the downtown area and it’s traveled it’s way north,” said Emily Lo, a Davis firefighter who arrived on campus at 10:15 a.m.. “(I have engines out at) North Davis Elementary School, Holmes Junior High, Davis High, King High as well as the district office … checking to make sure everyone is safe.”

Vice principal Chandra Wengler sent out a message at 10:23 a.m. stating “out of an abundance of caution the fire department is currently clearing all of the affected campuses to ensure there are no gas leaks.” The smell may be a result of regular PG&E maintenance.

“Last night PG&E had what they call a ‘blow off site’ where they blow off the residual gas. We believe that may be what it is, but we’re not 100% sure,” Lo said. 

Senior Charlotte Sloane smelled gas as soon as she left her 1st period class in the P wing.

“I walked out and I was like ‘woah, that smells like gas,” Sloane said. “But then I walked over (to the library building) and I was like ‘oh no, it smells a lot stronger.’”

Around five minutes after 2nd period started an announcement came over the speaker system instructing all students to evacuate their classrooms.

Students leaving the library building smelled gas on the stairs.

The smell of gas has been present on campus since Monday, when cassrooms in the O wing were evacuated to the All Student Center during 6th period.

“Once we got there they said to raise your hand if you felt lightheaded,” senior Ashlyn Swanson said. “A couple people felt a little bit light headed, but it wasn’t too bad.”

Junior Belynn Anderson was also evacuated from the O wing.

“No one was surprised (when we were evacuated), I was sitting there with my friend getting really nauseous,” Anderson said.

Her second evacuation in 24 hours, Anderson responded calmly Tuesday morning, choosing to order Domino’s pizza and garlic knots while waiting in the parking lot.

“It was me and my two other friend’s idea to order pizza, Anderson said. “There’s a lot of people eating pizza right now.”

At 11:22 students were instructed to return briefly to their 2nd periods before heading to 5th to continue their days.