LEHI, Utah — A gas leak forced the evacuation of a Lehi school on Tuesday, with nearby residents and businesses also ordered to evacuate before the all-clear was given about 3 hours after the first alert.
Students and staff at Traverse Mountain Elementary School were evacuated and relocated to Eagle Summit Park, where parents were told to arrive to be reunited with their children.
“We thought there might be a gas leak inside the school, fire department came, took control of the situation, they told us to evacuate the school," explained Eric Woodhouse with the Alpine School District. "Once we evicted, the smell was even stronger on the outside than it was on the inside.”
All students were accounted for, and the school said approximately 30 remain with staff members and are being walked back to the school.
The 6-inch gas line, which was the source of the leak after being hit by a boring machine, has been shut off.
Parents who were unable to pick up their student can still have them released to anyone on an emergency contact list with proper ID. If that is not an option, supervision and meals will be provided for students until the end of the school day.
Those living and working within a quarter-mile radius of the location near 2500 West Chapel Ridge Road were advised to leave their homes and workplaces, but are now allowed to return.
