Gas leak forces evacuation of Swampscott’s Stanley School

SWAMPSCOTT – Students at Stanley School were evacuated Monday afternoon after reports of a gas leak nearby.
Interim Superintendent Maureen Bingham said Verizon crews were working in the area when there was a smell of natural gas detected in the building.
“There was an odor of gas in the school,” Bingham said. “Students and staff were evacuated to a field near the school.”
Swampscott Fire Department was called to the scene and ordered the building evacuated.
Bingham said she was in touch with Principal Pamela Angelakis and a decision was made to evacuate the school and students were taken to the middle school.
Bingham said a Connect-Ed call was sent to parents letting them know they could pick up their children in the cafeteria at the middle school immediately. Parents were asked to use the cafeteria entrance at the side of the building. “If parents (couldn’t) get there immediately we kept children in the middle school cafeteria until the regular dismissal time,” Bingham said. “The extended day program for Stanley students (was) held in the middle school cafeteria.”
Last Friday school was canceled at Stanley due to downed trees and power lines in the area.
National Grid Spokesman David Graves said the leak was the result of Verizon crews puncturing a gas main.
“We took readings inside the school and in the vicinity of the school,” he said. “The school was cleared.
“Verizon crews were in the area when a smell of gas was reported,” Graves said. “Verizon was drilling with an auger to put a pole in and hit a gas main. It did result in a leak and we have a service crew on scene.”