Social media users report suspected carbon monoxide leaks at EMCS
UPDATE: 10:20 a.m.: Students will be expected to return to school. Three fire crews were in attendance: Sooke, Otter Point and Shirley (CORRECTED:) Metchosin. They are doing a final sweep to make sure everything is safe, but it is expected that school will resume.
9:42 a.m. If you’re wondering where all the fire trucks are headed just after 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, reports on social media are indicating that there are many trucks at EMCS, the Sooke high school, right now.
Apparently, a smoke smell has been reported in the structure.
Some parents report that their children attending the school say there was some smoke in the vents. A carbon monoxide leak is indicated by another parent.
The school has been evacuated, and from the sounds of it, many fire trucks are in attendance.
It is unlikely that traffic on Sooke Rd. is significantly impacted.
#EMcs evacuated due to smoke smell in school. #sooke #Metchosin and #otterpoint FDs on scene investigating
— Steven Sorensen (@FireChiefSooke) April 28, 2016
When we know more at Sooke PocketNews, we will update this file. Readers are encouraged to add their feedback in the comments below.
Resources
Steve Sorensen reports of smoke smell in the school. All evacuated
Hope everything is ok
It would be helpful, as a parent, to find out quicker about these things and maybe mass emails/social media be updated faster so we do not worry. My daughter told me over an hour ago…
Not that it is Sooke PocketNews’ fault! I think the school board should update!
Hi Tammy, I’ve updated the article: School is expected to resume.
The smell was due to a slipping belt on the furnace. Had it been serious parents would have been contacted by their kids to come get them.
Not everyone is on social media so that will reach only a certain crowd. The people in the school aren’t able to do more as they are evacuated as well. The staff at the SBO can only send out the mass emails on behalf of the school and only once all details are confirmed. Do you follow SD 62. on FB?
Tammy if there was an immediate need to worry, SBO staff would make sure parents were notified immediately. All school staff are evacuated when the students are, so administrators and admin. assistants are not going to be updating social media. They have enough to worry about, and social media is definitely not on the top of their priority list – getting all occupants of the building out and to safety is their main operative 🙂